With Ganesh Chathurthi to be celebrated next month, the issue of installation of a Ganesh idol at the Idgah Maidan adjacent Kittur Chennamma Circle has again come to the fore with the Ganesh mandals seeking permission to hold public celebrations of the festival for eleven days.
On Monday, members of Rani Chennamma Maidan Gajanan Utsav Samiti staged a demonstration before the office of Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation in Hubballi seeking permission to celebrate the Ganesh festival at Idgah Maidan for eleven days.
Leading the protest, convenor of the Samiti Hanumanthsa Niranjan said that following permission to install a Ganesh idol at Idgah Maidan last year, the festival was celebrated peacefully at the venue. However as the permission was only for three days, no other cultural programmes could be planned as part of the celebrations last year. So the municipal corporation should provide permission to celebrate the festival at least for eleven days at Idgah Maidan, the members demanded.
Submitting a memorandum to the officials of Hubballi Dharwad municipal corporation, they also requested for early permission for the celebration of the festival so that they could plan in advance.
Later speaking to press persons, Huballi Dharwad Mayor Veena Baradwad said that permission would be given for celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi as was done last year. However said that it might not be possible for them to take a decision on the issue immediately, as there were several other issues to be discussed and pondered over before giving the permission. There was still time to decide on the matter and it would be taken after consulting everyone, she said.
