Hindutva activist threatens to demolish Eidgah wall in Bengaluru, FIR filed

Karnataka police have filed an FIR against a Hindu activist and leader for threatening to destroy the Eidgah tower located in the premises of controversial Eidgah Maidan in Bengaluru, police said on Wednesday, August 10. Chamarajpet police in Bengaluru have registered a case against Bhaskaran, the President of Vishwa Sanatan Parishad, for issuing the statement under charges of trying to create communal discord in society.

Bhaskaran, who has been active in the agitations demanding that the controversial site must be handed over to the state government from the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf, had said that he would get the Eidgah tower demolished on the lines of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had recently declared that the controversial site belongs to the Revenue Department. Following the development, Congress local MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan had said that while the flag will be hoisted there for the first time to mark India’s 75th Independence Day, permission will not be given for the celebration of the Ganesha festival. Some Hindu organisations have demanded that the Eidgah tower must be demolished, claiming that it would lead to complications while celebrating Hindu festivals. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf has said that they will approach the court in connection with BBMP's decision of declaring it as a property of the Revenue Department.

Bhaskaran had demanded that the Eidgah Maidan be “utilised as a playground” and issued a deadline to the government for demolishing the Eidgah minar before December 6. He further issued a blatant threat saying that if the government failed, then they were already in touch with Hindu organisations in Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and also in different parts of Karnataka to gather a large number of people to demolish Eidgah qibla wall.

Taking up a suo motu complaint against him, the police have stated that Bhaskaran had hurt the religious feelings aimed at spoiling the peace in society.

(With IANS inputs)