Congress, BJP can’t agree on a ‘grave’ matter

Belagavi: An old grave situated at Khanjar Galli which caused a major communal clash recently at the adjacent Khadak Galli in Belagavi has become the bone of contention between leaders of Congress party and BJP.

The grave which remained unnoticed for decades was supposed to be removed by the government for creation of a vehicle-parking space a few weeks ago. With the issue getting sensitive, the district administration is in a dilemma even as BJP leaders are exerting pressure on the government for its removal.

The news that some city corporators are putting pressure on the City Corporation for its removal spread in the Muslim-dominated Khadak Galli and resulted in a fierce clash between groups of two different communities.

“Suddenly, the issue has turned sensitive which needs some time to resolve. It is difficult to take a hasty decision on whether to remove it at this juncture,” says Deputy Commissioner N Jairam.

The DC confirmed that the land on which the grave is located belongs to City Corporation and a proposal to convert the land into a parking lot is pending.

“What I came to know from some leaders is that the land around the grave was once a graveyard and some 100 years ago many graves were seen in the area. However, this news is not confirmed by us.

We have to get some concrete survey done to check whether the grave has been created by some in the recent times or a graveyard really existed in the past there,” DC adds.

After the issue turned sensitive, the district administration is keen to consult historians and experts to ascertain the facts before carrying out its removal.

 According to a noted leader Faizulla Madiwale, former member of Anjuman-e-Islam, the areas surrounding Khandak Galli and Khanjar Galli were once covered by graves.

“For a long time during the pre-Indendence period, many of the localities which now are residential and commercial in this part of the city were graveyards.

As the city's population grew, the graves were razed in the last some decades. And that's why we have many graveyards located in this part of the city today,” he adds.

Another resident of Khanjar Galli, Rajiv Sagare says, he was unaware of the grave existing in the locality for a long time as the space around it is surrounded by many commercial establishments.

He was shocked to know that the recent communal clash occurred over such a trivial matter. A section of BJP leaders headed by MP Suresh Angadi is exerting pressure on government for its removal. District Minister Satish Jarkiholi said it was not possible to remove the grave if some leaders set a deadline for it and that the government would resolve the issue as per law.

The government will not allow anybody to politicise the issue, he added.