No Ganesh Chaturthi puja at Bengaluru Idgah Maidan: Supreme Court
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India directed the Karnataka government not to hold Ganesh Chaturthi puja at Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru's Chamarajpet. It asked the state government to hold the status quo for a few days, IANS reported.
A bench headed by Indira Banerjee told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, "You have the puja somewhere else. And go back to the high court." The bench, also comprising justices AS Oka and MM Sundresh disposed of the petitions filed by The Central Muslim Association of Karnataka and Karnataka State Board of AUQAF against the Karnataka government.
After the Karnataka High Court allowed Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan, the petitioners moved Supreme Court. At first, a 2-judge bench referred the case to a 3-judge bench citing a "difference of opinion".
For petitioners, senior advocates Dushyant Dave and Kapil Sibal argued that the state government wants to change the 200 years status quo and that the Idgah land must not be used for other religions' festivals.
"For 200 years, whatever was not held, let it be," said the bench.
Last week, the high court granted permission to hold Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru's Chamarajpet. The Karnataka High Court had observed earlier that the government could take a call to permit the festival on the ground.