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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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
