Eidgah row: Chamrajpet bandh goes off peacefully

The Chamarajpet bandh called by Chamarajpet Citizens Forum and several Hindutva organisations on Tuesday passed off peacefully.

The bandh was observed in Chamarajpet area demanding that the Eidgah Maidan be kept as a playground instead of being given to the Waqf Board. The activists also demanded to allow ce ebration of Hindu and national festivals and that the ground be renamed after Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the last Maharaja of Mysuru. The activists sought public support for the bandh by sticking posters and flyers on storefronts and walls around the area.

Right-wing groups including members from Sri Ram Sene took part in the protest. However, they were detained by the police when they tried to enter Eidgah Maidan.

According to sources, the police had denied permission for the bandh and had warned the federation members of strict action. Some private schools had declared holiday in the area as a precautionary measure.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Laxman Nimbargi said that four assistant commissioners, inspectors, 30 sub-inspectors, 60 assistant sub-inspectors, 350 constables and four platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police Force were deployed to ensure law and order.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said the government did not support the bandh and the adequate police personnel were deployed in the area. On June 8, Chamrajpet MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan held a peace meeting to resolve the issue. However, federation members claimed that they were not invited to the meeting.

The BBMP had initially claimed the ownership of the Eidgah Maidan, but subsequently made a U-turn, stating that the property does not belong to it. It has stated that the ambiguity over the ownership was due to city survey records of 1974.

“While the Supreme Court dismissed our claim over the property in 1964, city survey records from later years show the BBMP as the holder of the land...however, BBMP does not have ownership over the property,” BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath had recently said.