Now Reading: BJP, Congress stage rival protests over Hubballi temple pond road
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BJP, Congress stage rival protests over Hubballi temple pond road
Hubballi saw rival protests on Tuesday over a road built by the municipal corporation near the Bhavani Shankar Temple in Old Hubballi. BJP leaders and Hindutva outfits demanded the removal of the…
Hubballi saw rival protests on Tuesday over a road built by the municipal corporation near the Bhavani Shankar Temple in Old Hubballi. BJP leaders and Hindutva outfits demanded the removal of the road, alleging it encroaches on an ancient temple pond (Pushkarani). Congress leaders and Dalit-minority groups counter-protested, accusing the BJP of politicising a development issue to create a Hindu-Muslim divide.
Releasing excerpts from the 1884 Dharwar Gazetteer, BJP MP Jagadish Shettar argued the gazetteer records a reservoir and wells at the spot where the road now stands. Congress leader Rajat Ullagaddimath countered that Shettar himself had sanctioned development works at the same location when a BJP councillor represented the ward. Former Deputy Mayor Deepak Chinchore accused BJP leaders of double standards, claiming two other Pushkaranis in BJP leader Arvind Bellad's constituency were also covered for laying roads.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The dispute centres on a common conflict in urban Karnataka: historical temple water bodies versus municipal infrastructure. The Dharwar Gazetteer from 1884 is a standard reference but does not specify exact modern boundaries, leaving room for competing claims. Both sides cite past approvals: the BJP says the Congress government allowed encroachment, while Congress notes the BJP sanctioned the road when in power in the ward. With local elections due next year, such flashpoints often mobilise core voters. The immediate next step is likely a municipal commissioner's order on the road, which will set the legal status pending a court challenge.
The municipal commissioner's decision on the road's status will set the legal status pending a possible court challenge.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
