The Karnataka government will host Republic Day celebrations at the Eidgah Maidan in Bengaluru’s Chamarajapet on Thursday, January 26. Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan visited the ground last week with police officials and other district officials, and tweeted that the Karnataka government will celebrate Republic Day there. His tweet further added that the Republic Day celebrations will be “grandiose” in comparison to the Independence Day celebrations which were also held there last year.
Speaking to The Hindu, PC Mohan said that a meeting would be convened in a day or two to discuss the flag hoisting ceremony. He also said that the district administration will organise the flag hoisting ceremony as per the protocol. The report further stated that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) will be hoisting the flag on January 26.
According to reports, Chamarajpet Nagarikara Okkoota Vedike, a citizens’ forum, had approached the authorities asking permission to hold the Republic Day celebrations at the Eidgah Maidan. In a letter submitted to the authorities, the citizens’ group had asked to either allow them to organise the event or for the government to organise it there. The district administration had informed them that the government will be organising the event there.
The Eidgah Maidan has been the subject of a long-drawn controversy over who owns the land. Last year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) declared that the ground would be a property of the state revenue department. BBMP also said that any decision to use the land will be taken by the revenue department. The Chamarajpet Nagarika Okkoota Vedike had protested seeking permission to conduct Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the ground, which was later disallowed by the Supreme Court.