Shivamogga DC holds meeting on Idgah Maidan issue

Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Gurudatta Hegade held a meeting with representatives of Markazi Sunni Jamia Masjid committee over the Idgah Maidan controversy in Shivamogga on Wednesday.

Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Gurudatta Hegade held a meeting with representatives of Markazi Sunni Jamia Masjid Committee over the Idgah Maidan controversy in Shivamogga on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the representatives of the committee maintained that the Idgah Maidan in front of the DC’s office had been declared a waqf property through a gazette notification in 1965. Shivamogga City Corporation had issued a khata for the property as well. However, some people had been using it to park vehicles without permission, while others used it for illegal activities at night.

They argued that the committee should be allowed to maintain the property by putting up proper fencing, as it was a holy place for Muslims. They also submitted a memorandum to the DC with their demand.

After the meeting, the DC told mediapersons that the administration would look into the property records furnished by the committee members. “We will verify the documents furnished by the committee with Shivamogga City Corporation. As of now, we have decided not to allow parking of the vehicles on the property temporarily,” he said.

The representatives of the committee had put up a fence to avoid the entry of vehicles to the Idgah Maidan on Monday night.

Hindutva activists, on Tuesday, had staged a protest opposing the fencing. They wanted the administration to remove the fence and allow the public to park vehicles on the said land. The police removed the fence on Tuesday evening.

The district administration has deployed policemen at the site and ordered the closure of shops and business establishments close to the property.