Amid beefed-up security, public celebrations of Ganesh festival at the Idgah Maidan in the heart of Hubballi city began on Tuesday with scores of members of the BJP and Hindutva outfits taking out a procession and installing the idol of Lord Ganesh amid much fanfare.
The Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), which had allowed the installation of the Ganesh idol at the Idgah Maidan by imposing 18 conditions, subsequently relaxed a few of them on the insistence of the Rani Chennamma Maidan Gajanan Utsav Mahamandali.
Although the municipal corporation had permitted the celebrations to be held between September 19 and 21, it allowed the mahamandali to conduct a few rituals on Monday, before the mahamandali erected the Ganesh pandal.
On Tuesday, led by MLAs Arvind Bellad and Mahesh Tenginakai and other BJP leaders, members of the party, mahamandali and a few Hindutva outfits took out a procession of the Ganesh idol from the premises of Moorusavir Mutt accompanied by some folk troupes.
Accompanied by a huge posse of police personnel, led by senior police officials, the procession covered the streets of the central business district with the chanting of Ganapati Bappa Moraya before reaching the venue.
Once it reached the Ganesh pandal at the maidan, priests performed various rituals and puja amid chanting of various names of Lord Ganesh.
Speaking to presspersons after the installation, Mr. Mahesh Tenginakai said that because of the appeasement politics of the Congress, the devotees of Lord Ganesh faced some problem in getting the required permissions for idol installation. And, he will only pray to Lord Ganesh to bless even those who tried to prevent the public celebrations of Ganesh festival at the Rani Chennamma (Idgah) Maidan.
Member of Legislative Council Pradeep Shettar, who arrived at the venue a little late, clarified that as he was on a tour of three States as member of the privilege committee, he could not participate in the agitation. He returned to Hubballi on Monday night, he said.
As a precautionary measure, the police have beefed up the security in and around the venue and senior police officials are monitoring the bandobast arrangements.
Senior officials, including Inspector-General of Police (Intelligence) Labhu Ram and Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Hitendra, visited Hubballi on Tuesday and held meetings with the police officials.
