Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar at Bhavani Shankar temple in Old Hubballi
He said the temple, believed to be over 1,000 years old, is protected by the State Archaeology Department. Citing the 1884 Dharwad District Gazetteer, he claimed records clearly mention the existence of a Pushkarani in front of the temple and urged the state govt to conduct an immediate excavation instead of allowing the issue to trigger a law-and-order problem. Congress leaders accused the BJP of politicising the issue ahead of the 2028 assembly elections. Senior Congress leader Deepak Chinchore countered Shettar’s criticism, claiming the road project itself was sanctioned during Shettar’s tenure as chief minister in 2013.
Speaking after releasing documents near the Bhavanishankar Temple, Shettar alleged that civic authorities had illegally built a road over an ancient Pushkarani (temple tank). On the other hand, Dalit organisations staged a protest and submitted a memorandum to the chief minister, alleging attempts to target SC and minority communities through fake AI-generated visuals. Hubballi/ Belagavi: The controversy over the road constructed at Asar Honda in Old Hubballi escalated on Tuesday, with former chief minister and Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar demanding a scientific excavation at the disputed site to uncover and preserve its historical significance.