Tricolour hoisted at B'luru Idgah Maidan for 1st time since independence

Bengaluru, Aug 15 (IANS) The Tricolour was on Monday hoisted for the first time since independence at the controversial Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru.

The site has been turned into a police fortress with more than 1,000 personnel deputed to maintain law and order.

Flag hoisting was carried out by the Bengaluru North Sub-Division officer Shivanna attached to the Revenue Department.

Congress MLA and former minister Zameer Ahmad Khan, Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan and other officers were also present.

The administration had arranged 300 chairs for the public. After the flag hoisting, students from BBMP schools performed cultural programmes and the Revenue Department as well as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities distributed sweets to the public.

Confusion prevailed in the premises as members of the Chamarajpet Citizen Forum questioned authorities for denying permission for them to hoist the Tricolour as they had fought over years for the same.

The authorities have cleared the banners and flexes congratulating the forum for its fight.

The team under the Additional Commissioner West Sandeep Patil, comprising of 3 DCP's, 6 ACP's, 15 inspectors, 50 PSI, 30 ASI and 300 police constables, 5 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), 2 City Armed Police (CAR), 1 platoon of Rapid Action Force (RPF) were deputed.

The BBMP has announced that land of the controversial site belongs to the Revenue department putting an end to the confusion over ownership of the property.

The Wakf Board claimed ownership of the site and objected to the celebration of Hindu festivals.

The Chamarajpet Citizen's Forum and Hindu activists fought over years claiming that the land is a playground and they should be allowed to celebrate national events like Independence Day, Republic Day and also Hindu festivals. Now, they are demanding demolition of Idgah tower from the controversial site.

The Revenue Department after getting the ownership of the site had stated that including Idgah tower, everything in the premises will remain the same and the site will be a playground.

The Wakf Board claims that the order of BBMP to transfer the land is against the Supreme Court order which says that status quo should be maintained.

However, BBMP maintains that enough time was given for the Wakf Board to produce documents to claim the ownership. As no document was produced, the ownership was handed over to the Revenue Department.

The Wakf Board has stated that it would take up a legal fight against the order.