Amid a heavy presence that included paramilitary forces and police personnel, the national flag was hoisted at the Idgah Maidan in Chamarajpet on Monday.
This was the first time ever that the state government organised Independence Day celebrations here in the ground after the ownership of the 2.10-acre property had run into controversy, while there were a flood of requests from different groups to hoist the flag on the disputed land. The event went off peacefully.
As an Islamic structure is located on one side of the maidan, the BBMP had barricaded nearly half of the ground, restricting the movement of the public only on one portion of the ground where arrangements were made to hoist the flag.
Bengaluru Urban district assistant commissioner M G Shivanna hoisted the tricolour at 8 am. He was accompanied by Member of Parliament PC Mohan, Chamarajpet MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan, ACP Sandeep Patil, and DCP (West) Laxman Nimbargi. The dignitaries offered floral respect to Mahatma Gandhi. No one spoke during the occasion.
The residents living in and around Chamarajpet joined the celebration. After the programme, members of Chamarajpet Citizens Forum distributed sweets. “It was our long dream to celebrate Independence Day on this ground. This has been fulfilled this year. We are happy,” a member of the forum said.
It was one of the organisations that had sought permission to hoist the national flag after the BBMP declared the Idgah Maidan belongs to the revenue department.