In a controversial move, on February 12, the Kalaburagi police sent notice to Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi that they had refused permission for Hindu bhakthas to offer worship to the 2nd-century Swayambu Sri Someshwara Shiva on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri. The denial was based on the grounds that the site is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Based on reports from The New Indian Express earlier, protests erupted for the rebuilding of the Someshwara Temple in Kalaburagi Fort, spearheaded by the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi.

According to a notice issued by the police inspector of the Chowk police station in Kalaburagi City, the Hindu bhakthas were informed that erecting a Shivlinga enclosure within the precincts of the Kalaburagi Fort, designated as a protected monument by the ASI, would violate the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, Section 29. The notice emphasized that any activities carried out without permission would be deemed illegal and subject to legal action.

Centuries ago, the Islamist Bahmani Sultans of Kalaburgi constructed the fort above the sacred grounds of the Sri Swayambu Someshwara Temple, overshadowing its magnificence with the weight of history. What was once a revered sanctuary for Hindu bhakthas, now lies obscured beneath the shadows of political, Islamic, and influential religious dominion. The neglect of the historic Sri Swayambu Someshwara Temple by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), compounded by reports of Islamist groups being granted permission to conduct Namaz within the fort’s premises, sparked outrage among Hindu activists.

Sri Laxmikanth Swadi, Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi, and other Hindu activists protested for the righteous and religious freedom to express Hindutwa and to celebrate Hindu auspicious events. They voiced concerns regarding Islamist religious bias, highlighting the perceived threat to Hindu Dharma. Later, in a significant development, the Honorable High Court of Karnataka overturned the prohibitory order imposed by the police authorities, paving the way for Hindu bhakthas to worship Shri Swayambu Sri Someshwara Bhagwan Shiva deity on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri.

“The Court ordered that in CRP No.200015/2024, dated 07.03.2024, a Coordinate Bench of the Court issued an order granting permission for 15 individuals to conduct Darshan and Pooja on March 8, 2024, starting at 4 p.m.“

This decision marks a victory for the entire Hindu community, which raised their collective voice against political and religious discrimination, using social media platforms and by apporaching the court for the same to denounce the bias against Hindus.The decision comes as a momentous victory for Hindu communities in Kalaburgi, who had faced disappointment and frustration after the initial denial of permission to conduct their religious rituals at the historic site. The High Court’s intervention underscores the paramount importance of upholding religious freedoms and ensuring equitable treatment for all faiths.