Idgah dispute heats up as documents come under question

The controversy surrounding the ownership of the Chamarajpet Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru is unlikely to die down anytime soon as two important documents pertaining to the 2.10-acre land have raised more questions.

While the assessment register contains several entries that appear to be later additions, the ‘khata’ certificate for a 941-square foot plot within the Idgah Maidan appears suspicious because it delineates a non-existent ‘Muslim Durga(h)’.

Also Read: No end in sight to Chamarajpet Idgah dispute

The Karnataka State Board of Wakfs, however, says the entire 2.10-acre land is a gazetted wakf property held by the Central Muslim Association (CMA). Both the board and the CMA have cited a 1964 Supreme Court ruling, which had dismissed a civil appeal filed by the City Corporation of Bangalore.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said that the assessment register was tampered with. He reiterated that the civic body is the owner of the playground but went on to add that any organisation is free to claim ownership of the 2.10-acre property by providing proof.

The assessment register has three separate entries, all in Kannada: a) 2,050 square feet marked as corporation office; b) 306 square feet marked as a Nirmala toilet (BBMP property), and c) 95,929 square feet marked as both Idgah Maidan and playground (BBMP property).

In the third entry, the word ‘Idgah’ was later struck down but remains somewhat legible. Curiously, the first hand-written entry was made with one pen while the second and third entries sport a different ink.

Officials suspect the entries were made after 2005-06 because the Nirmala toilet was constructed during that period.

Documents also show that the BBMP committed another glaring error while issuing the khata certificate for 941 square feet within the ‘Idgah Maidan’. The document was issued in July 2019 by the BBMP’s assistant revenue officer (ARO), Chamarajpet division, marking the small plot as a ‘Muslim Durga(h)’. No dargah exists on the property.

Also Read: Spurt in pleas by Hindu outfits to use Idgah Maidan in Bengaluru

According to Girinath, this could have happened because officials might not have known the difference between an idgah and a dargah.

The top official acknowledged that the civic body had lost the appeal in the Supreme Court but cited city survey records from 1974 to claim that the BBMP is the holder of the 2.10-acre property.

“This is also mentioned in the khata but there are multiple entries there,” Girinath said, adding the BBMP would seek legal help.

The BBMP, he went on, is not in possession of the certified copies of the SC order. “The judgment is not very clear as one page of the copy we got is missing,” he said.

“The court observed that a platform and prayer structure has been there for many years. Prayers are offered on festival days twice a year. It is used as a playground for the rest of the year,” Girinath said.

The Muslim community, the chief commissioner said, is free to seek ownership of the land by providing relevant documents.

“For now, it is a BBMP property. The decision to allow other religious and social events at the playground would be taken after consulting the police,” he said.

Meanwhile, local residents and sources in the BBMP said the recent dispute over the ownership arose after some pro-Hindu organisations learnt about a plan to build a mosque on the open land.