Amid stress from members of the Chamarajpet Nagarikara Ookkoota and different right-wing teams, the state authorities is all set to organise the Republic Day celebration on the Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet.
Income minister R Ashoka on Sunday and Member of Parliament from Bengaluru Central PC Mohan on Sunday stated that the Bengaluru City district administration would organise a flag-hoisting ceremony on the floor as per the protocol.
“It’s celebrated with nice pomp and exhibits yearly. This yr marks the 74th Republic Day of India. We are going to have a good time it within the Idgah Maidan of Chamarajpet with all the safety preparations,” the income minister stated in an announcement on Sunday.
PC Mohan stated the state authorities would have a good time Republic Day on the playground by hoisting the tricolour and conducting cultural programmes.
“The #Karnataka Govt. will have a good time Republic Day on the #Chamarajpet playground, #Bengaluru by hoisting the tricolour and conducting cultural programmes. The celebration of #RepublicDay at Chamarajpet playground shall be grandiose compared to Independence Day,” the Bengaluru Central MP tweeted.
The Chamarajpet Nagarikara Ookkoota welcomed the transfer and stated that their efforts to persuade the authorities have been profitable. Earlier this month, in a letter dated January 15, the discussion board, together with pro-Hindu teams had sought permission from the state authorities to have a good time Republic Day on the bottom by hoisting the tricolour and conducting different cultural programmes.
The discussion board warned that “if permission will not be given, they’d ignore the administration’s directions and hoist the flag at Idgah Maidan”. The discussion board had given a letter to the state authorities and the deputy commissioner in December final yr.
“A single member bench of the Karnataka Excessive Courtroom in an interim order dated 25-8-2022 stated that Independence Day, Republic Day and different nationwide festivals will be celebrated on the floor. A duplicate of the order is connected. Accordingly, on 15-8-2022, Amruta Mahotsava Independence Day was celebrated with grandeur,” the letter said.
“On 26-1-2023, it’s necessary to have a good time Republic Day programmes throughout the nation with grandeur by central and state governments, faculties, schools and different organisations. We request the state authorities and the Income Division to have a good time the Republic Day on 26-1-2023 on the playground in Chamarajpet,” the letter additional stated.
Yeshwanth Kumar, a member of the discussion board, on Monday, stated {that a} assembly was held with Bengaluru Central MP, income minister and different officers on Sunday, the place they assured that Republic Day can be celebrated on the Maidan.
“We’re pleased that they’ve agreed to have a good time. However we wish the Republic Day celebrations to be greater than Independence Day. The August 15 celebrations final yr weren’t grand sufficient as there have been quite a lot of safety restrictions, and they didn’t have sufficient time to make preparations,” Kumar stated.
“However this time, now we have requested the authorities to conduct a three-hour-long cultural programme after the flag-hoisting ceremony and make preparations to incorporate the residents within the space, together with Military veterans, in the course of the celebrations. The authorities have assured us that they’ll contemplate this. We hope that is completed,” Kumar added.
In June final yr, Idgah Maidan was in the course of an issue over its possession. Whereas town municipal company, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), claimed the playground to be its property, Muslim organisations asserted that the land belonged to the Karnataka State Waqf Board.
Controversy erupted in June 2021 after a number of Hindu organisations sought permission to carry Ganesh Chaturthi and different festivals on the website.
The BBMP claimed, as per the 1974 metropolis survey, the Idgah maidan was indicated to be a playground and civic property belonging to town’s company. The Waqf Board asserted that the two.1 acre of contested land is a registered waqf property and that it has been because the 1850s.
Later, the Wakf Board approached the Karnataka excessive court docket towards an order by the BBMP, which stated that the bottom belonged to the income division. In an interim order on August 25 final yr, a single-judge bench ordered that the bottom needs to be used solely to have a good time Muslim festivals and as a playground at different occasions. It additionally directed for the established order on the land.
On August 15, the Indian flag was hoisted on the Maidan by income division officers amid tight safety as a part of the celebration of 75 years of Independence.