Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Agitation planned over temple land issue

HUBLI: Samata Sena of Hubli has alleged that despite a High Court order, the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has not initiated steps to clear the “encroachment” upon a temple land maintained by Dalits.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, president of the State unit of Samata Sena Gurunath Ullikashi said though the Deputy Commissioner directed the HDMC and the police to take action as per the court order, nothing had been done even after two months.

He alleged that a few former councillors and advocates were trying to take over Manjunath temple, which was earlier called Samagara Devara Gudi, at Old Hubli from the Dalits who were looking after it. Based on a resolution adopted by the HDMC, a piece of land near the temple was given for construction of a police station. However, the priests of the temple approached the local court against grant of land to the Police Department.

The court upheld their plea. Though the Police Department approached the High Court, its application was rejected. An appeal by the district administration in the Supreme Court was rejected on March 30, 2009, Mr. Ullikashi said. He said the sena and other like-minded organisations would launch an agitation if the HDMC and the Police Department did not give the land back to the temple authorities in 15 days.

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