A newly formed outfit, Chamarajapet Nagareekara Okkoota Vedike, that came into existence on July 3 with an aim to “save the playground” [Idgah Maidan], has called for Chamarajpet Bandh on July 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
S. Rukmangada, general secretary of the vedike, said they were fighting to save the playground and also for “their rights to hold Hindu and national festivals at the ground”.
“The ground should remain with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and not go to the Karnataka State Board of Wakf. We demand it be renamed after Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the last king of Mysore,” he said. The vedike has formed a committee to “legally fight to save the playground” and has several BJP members, including N.R. Ramesh, president, BJP Bengaluru South; Vivek Reddy, president, BJP legal cell, and the former MLA Pramila Nesargi. However, Mr. Rukmangada maintained that theirs was a non-partisan fight.
