After BJP, Congress and others stage protest over temple pond issue

Days after a protest by Hindutva outfits led by the BJP to save a temple pond (Pushkarani), Hubballi on Tuesday witnessed a counter protest by Dalit and minority organisations led by the Congress accusing the BJP of politicising a development issue to create Hindu-Muslim divide and incite communal violence.

While Congress leader, including Rajat Ullagaddimath, and Gurunath Ullikashi of Samata Sena led the protest to save the road built to benefit the residents around the Bhavani Shankar Temple, Dalit leaders backed by BJP MP Jagadish Shettar addressed a press conference to release historical documents to prove that the Pushkarani existed in the place where the municipal corporation has now laid the road.

Releasing excerpts from the Dharwar Gazetteer, edited by James M. Campbell, first published by Bombay Presidency in 1884 and reprinted by the Karnataka Gazetteer Department in 2003, Mr. Shettar said that as per the Gazetteer there was a reservoir near the temple of Bhavani Shankar with water and two sweet water wells called Asarbavdi and Kotarbavdi and seven brackish wells.

He was joined by Dalit leader Vijay Guntral in saying that the municipal authorities have laid the road encroaching upon the ancient temple pond (Pushkarani). They said that the road should be removed to restore the temple pond. They said that under the Congress government encroachments upon Hindu religious places have been allowed for the sake of appeasing a section of voters.

Congress leaders and others staging a protest in Old Hubballi on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE

Countering Mr. Shettar’s claims, Mr. Ullagaddimath sought to know whether Mr. Shettar was not aware of the Pushkarani when he sanctioned development works at the same place when a BJP councillor was representing the ward.

‘Double standards’

Meanwhile, speaking to presspersons in Dharwad on Tuesday, the former Deputy Mayor Deepak Chinchore from the Congress accused the BJP leaders of following “double standards” on the Pushkarani issue.

Mr. Chinchore said that Mr. Shettar sanctioned the funds for the construction of the road at Asar Honda in Old Hubballi in 2013 following a request by BJP councillor Pandurang Patil.

Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Arvind Bellad, who is now objecting to it, did not raise objections at that time despite being aware of existence of the temple pond.

Mr. Bellad is trying to create communal tension, he said and claimed that two other Pushkaranis in Mr. Bellad’s constituency have been covered up for laying roads.

He said that roads near the Hanuman temple in the Fort area in Dharwad and the Bhavani Shankar Temple at Amargol have been laid after covering the temple ponds.

He also warned that if the BJP continues to politicise the issue and target minorities, Hindu youths will organise a padayatra from Dharwad to the RSS office in Hubballi.