Overview

• Hubballi Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad led a ritual ‘Mulla Moksha Homa’ and ‘Shuddhikaran’ outside the Dharwad Deputy Commissioner’s office on Friday to protest an alleged protocol breach at a government programme in Hubballi.
• BJP leaders alleged a publicly funded event in Ward No. 34 was turned into a party show with Congress banners on stage, officers acting like party guests, and a Quran recitation during the function.
• Bellad demanded an immediate inquiry with strict action against officials and warned the issue would be raised in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly if no steps follow.
• He amplified the charges on X, calling it a blatant misuse of government platforms and asserting officials behaved like Congress workers during the event.
• A day later, Congress figures including Ismail Tamatgar and Nagaraj Gouri accused Bellad of misleading the public, said both slokas and Quran verses were recited at a Vishalnagar programme, and signaled plans to lodge a complaint over his conduct.