Bellad demands permission to install Ganesha idol

Hubballi: BJP MLA Arvind Bellad demanded permission to install Ganesha idol at Idga Maidan in Hubballi.Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Bellad said that the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has neither denied nor granted permission and Siddaramaiah’s political play to appease Muslims is suspected to be behind the move. However, when his attention was drawn to home minister G Parameshwara’s statement that government has no role and it’s HDMC’s discretion, he remained silent. “Since Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in a grand manner, Ganesha idols will be installed in every corner of the city. However, government has maintained silence over granting permission to install the Ganesha idol at Idga Maidan. Though the Supreme Court itself has ordered that the maidan is a property of HDMC, the government, which had allowed unwanted Tipu Jayanti, is now silent over granting permission to install Ganesha idol at the maidan,” he alleged.When asked why government should grant permission when HDMC has already taken a resolution to allow Ganesha idol installation, he said HDMC commissioner is new and he has sought instructions from the government in the matter through the Dharwad DC. “Though BJP is ruling party in HDMC and mayor and corporators have taken a decision, now the commissioner has sought instructions from the government which is maintaining silence over the same. It is the demand of the Ganesha devotees that the idol should be installed at the maidan,” he added. Bellad also stated that he has written a letter to chief minister Siddaramaiah in this regard. “If government denies permission, we will install the idol and celebrate the festival at any condition,” he warned.He further alleged that AIMIM and SDPI are anti-national parties. “Actually, the BJP government tried to ban them but that did not happen due to some reasons,” he added. Responding to a query on whether he is interested to become opposition leader in assembly, he said he will abide by the party high command’s decision.