During Ganesh Chaturthi festivities at the Idgah Ground Maidan in Hubbali, posters of Veer Savarkar and Bal Gangadhar Tilak were taken down from the stage by the authorities on Wednesday night.
A banner with a poster of Savarkar on it was set up on the dais, and Savarkar’s picture was also put close to the idol. The banner displaying the photographs was taken down, according to the authorities, since it contravened the event’s acceptable criteria.
Earlier on Wednesday, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said that Savarkar’s photograph had been used as a background. “Savarkar is listed because the organisers think he is a wonderful patriot. What’s incorrect with that, “asked Joshi.
After participating in Maha Arati at the Idgah Maidan Ganesh festivities, he was conversing with reporters. A significant police presence and strict security were in place for the celebrations.
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the Idgah field in Hubbali were permitted to continue earlier on Tuesday by the Karnataka High Court. The site is the property of the Hubli-Dharawad Municipal Commission, and they are free to give the land to anybody they like, according to the judgment dismissing the petition brought by Anjuman-E-Islam.
Hubballi Idgah Ground has been the subject of a contentious legal battle for many years. In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the Hubballi-Dharawad Municipal Corporation is the sole owner of the Ground.
The land was given to the Islamic group Anjuman-E-Islam in 1921 on a 999-year lease so that they might do prayers there. Following independence, several stores were established there. This was contested in court, and a protracted legal battle ensued that came to an end in 2010 with the ruling of the Supreme Court. The highest court had given permission for twice-yearly prayers and for no permanent structures to be erected on the land.
