CM Bommai justifies move to raze portion of dargah for BRTS project, opposition leaders cry foul
Belagavi (K'taka), Dec 21: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday defended the demolition of a portion of a dargah between Hubballi-Dharwad for a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor and said his own property worth crores of rupees has been acquired for the project.
Earlier today, authorities cleared a portion of Hazrat Sayed Mahmood Shah Qadri Dargah and a few shops adjoining it at Bhairidevarakoppa near Hubballi under heavy police protection.
"I come from that place...several homes, showrooms, shops and properties, including mine have been acquired for the BRTS corridor project. Nineteen guntas of my prime property have been acquired. The property is worth about Rs 5-6 crore, but I got compensation of Rs 5 lakh," Bommai said.
Replying to the issue raised during Zero Hour, he said such issues with religious connection are there across the country and there are laws for such structures to be removed or to be shifted, if need be, for completion of public projects.
"We don't want to hurt anyone's religious feelings... We have done it for a road project after the court vacated the stay...discussions have been held with the dargah committee six times. Those there locally wanted to shift and we have given the opportunity for that. I know them, I will meet them on Friday personally and do all that is required by them after shifting," he added.
Noting that the dargah is visited by people from all religions, especially Hindus, Congress MLA Abbayya Prasad from Hubli-Dharwad East constituency raised the issue in the House.
He said barricading was done around the structure last night and without allowing anyone, it is being demolished today in the name of BRTS project.
Noting that there are several religious institutions and maths along the BRTS project's stretch, he said work should have been completed without hurting religious sentiments, but today an attempt is being made to disturb peace by the ruling dispensation, as elections are nearing.
"As CM also belongs to Hubballi-Dharwad and is aware of sentiments, he should resolve the issue without hurting anyone's religious sentiments," he added.
Questioning the need for demolition, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah recalled that the issue of demolition had come up when he was the Chief Minister too, and that he had suggested that the nearby land can be acquired for the project, and not to touch religious places.
Pointing out that the road work has already been completed, he said just because the stay has been vacated by the court it does not mean that the structure has to be demolished immediately. "You could have spoken to them (dargah committee or priests)."
There are also several Hindu temples and maths there, while the dargah is being removed, the former Chief Minister said.
"As religious and emotional feelings are attached with the dargah, such demolition will lead to tension and disturbance of peace. I had informed the CM and district authorities about it...stop the demolition work and talk to those associated with dargah," he further said.
Rejecting that it was an old dargah, BJP MLA Arvind Bellad said 13 temples, one church and this dargah were marked during the previous Congress government's term for the BRTS project, and while temples and church were removed, the dargah was untouched despite its committee members willing for relocating.
Accusing the Congress of pushing the dargah committee members to go to court unnecessarily, he said the stretch of the BRTS corridor where the dargah is located had become extremely unsafe with space crunch, and that was the reason that the court has vacated the stay on it.
"What had happened to 13 temples has happened to the dargah too today. There is nothing to get emotional about it. Congress is doing vote-bank politics on the issue," he added.
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Sharad Pawar's 'merger with Cong' remark shows it's difficult for him to run his party,says Fadnavis
Mumbai, May 8: NCP founder Sharad Pawar's remark on regional parties' possible merger with the Congress shows it has become difficult for him to manage his own party, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde latched on to Pawar's comment to target Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying the latter has already become "Congress-minded".
Another leader of the ruling 'Mahayuti' in Maharashtra said Pawar's remarks reflect that ground was slipping from under his feet in his home turf Baramati and the only option before him was merging his party with the Congress.
In an interview to The Indian Express, Pawar said that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress or may look at the option of merger with it if they believe that is best for their party.
To a question if that applied to his own party, Pawar told the newspaper that he doesn't see any difference between the Congress and his party because both belong to the Gandhi, Nehru line of thinking.
Pawar made it clear that any decision on strategy or the next step will be taken collectively. He also said that his party is close to the Congress ideologically and that Uddhav Thackeray is positive about working together with like-minded parties.
Asked about Pawar's remark, Shinde said the Shiv Sena (UBT) has already become Congress-minded.
"Pawar is a big leader and he makes such statements. But the Sena (UBT) faction has already become Congress as they speak the language of the Congress and Pakistan," Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena, said.
"Just the formality (of merger between them) is remaining," he added.
Fadnavis said that through his remark, Pawar might be suggesting that it was difficult for him to run his party and hence he may opt to merge it with the Congress.
"It is nothing new because Pawar has formed new parties and later merged them with the Congress," he said.
Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who recently rejoined the ruling Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, said Pawar has been thinking about merging his party with the Congress for a long time and even the Congress had given the proposal to this effect to him.
"But Congress rejected the proposal to entrust the leadership to Supriya Sule. Pawar's fresh comment suggests that the ground is slipping from under his feet in Baramati. Even if that is not the case, he has no option but merge his party with Congress which will be seen as a merger of two loss-making companies," the former MP said.
BJP leader Prasad Lad asked whether the Sena (UBT) will merge with the Congress along with the Sharad Pawar-led party.
"Uddhav Thackeray has stopped saying 'My Hindu brothers and sisters' at the outset of his speeches. He has become friends with those who criticise Veer Savarkar. Only time will tell whether Thackeray will merge his party with Congress," he said.
NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said her father made a generic statement.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly and senior Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar said there was truth in what Pawar said.
"He has a long-term vision. People are fed up with the dictatorial regime and want a change of guard," he said, targeting the BJP-led government.
Chhagan Bhujbal of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP said he doesn't think regional parties will merge with the Congress.
"They are strong in their respective states and have formed governments in West Bengal and Odisha," he said, referring to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The NCP founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999 split in July 2023 after his nephew Ajit Pawar rebelled against him and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government. The Election Commission and assembly speaker later recognised the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the "real NCP" and allotted the clock symbol to it, while the NCP (SP) group was given 'man blowing turha' as the symbol.
