Hubballi, October 12, 2025 – A political firestorm has engulfed Karnataka following the recitation of verses from the Quran during a foundation stone-laying ceremony organized by the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), sparking accusations of breaching secular protocols and turning a public event into a partisan affair. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the state's main opposition, has demanded a high-level inquiry, while Congress leaders insist the religious element occurred only in a private felicitation segment, not the official proceedings.
The controversy centers on an event held last Sunday in Ward No. 34 at Vishal Nagar, Devaragudihal Road in Old Hubballi. The ceremony, valued at ₹10 crore, involved development projects by the HDMC, Public Works Department (PWD), and Hubballi Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM). District in-charge minister and senior Congress leader Santosh Lad was among the dignitaries present as foundation stones were laid for infrastructure upgrades. However, during the subsequent felicitation program on stage, a local Islamic scholar recited verses from the Quran, which BJP leaders claim violated administrative neutrality.
Opposition Deputy Speaker and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad, who led the charge against the incident, described it as a blatant "protocol breach" in a letter to the state Chief Secretary, urging legal action against the organizing officials. "Officials organised the government programme as a party programme," Bellad alleged, pointing to the replacement of official banners with Congress party symbols and images of party leaders on stage. He further accused the administration of ignoring rules by allowing the recitation, warning that the Congress-led government was prioritizing "Muslim appeasement" over secular norms.
In a dramatic escalation, BJP workers staged a protest on Friday outside the Deputy Commissioner's office in Hubballi, performing Hindu rituals including a 'havan' (sacred fire ceremony) and recitation of Rudra Mantras and vachanas of 12th-century saint Basavanna to "purify the environment." Joined by BJP leader Mohan Ramdurga, Bellad reiterated the accusations, stating the government was encouraging such practices and that "people would teach it a lesson" in upcoming elections. Ramdurga questioned the reciprocity, asking if similar permissions would be granted for other faiths' rituals near holy sites like the Siddaroodha Math premises adjacent to the event venue.
The event's organizers, Congress corporator Mangala Gowri and her son Nagaraj Gowri, pushed back forcefully, maintaining that the Quran recitation was confined to a "private felicitation event" and not part of the official government program, which consisted solely of the foundation-laying. "It was not a government event. Recitation was held only during a private felicitation event," Gowri clarified, dismissing BJP's claims as politically motivated. As of Sunday, the state government has not issued an official response, though sources indicate the Chief Secretary's office is reviewing Bellad's complaint.
The row has reignited debates on the separation of religion and state in Karnataka, a linguistically diverse state with a history of communal tensions. BJP spokespersons have framed it as evidence of Congress's "soft Hindutva" hypocrisy, while supporters of the ruling party argue it highlights the opposition's attempts to communalize routine civic events. With local body elections looming, the incident could further polarize voters in North Karnataka's urban pockets, where Hubballi-Dharwad has long been a BJP stronghold. Legal experts suggest any inquiry could hinge on whether the felicitation blurred lines between public and private segments, potentially setting precedents for future official ceremonies
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