Waqf land row: K’taka BJP to launch statewide agitation on Nov 4

Bengaluru, Oct 30 (IANS) Karnataka BJP will launch a statewide agitation from November 4 on the issue of farmers' land being claimed by the Waqf Board. 

The party will also expose the Congress government, which it alleged, is forcing authorities to change the land records of farmers and mention them as the property of Waqf board in the various districts of the state.

State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra said the Congress government is implementing the Tughlaq policy in the state. "Minister for Waqf Board Zameer Ahmad Khan is pressuring all the Deputy Commissioners in the state that action be taken in this regard as per the directions of the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah," he said.

"Following the development, the farming community across the Karnataka state are facing severe crisis and concern. There is a conspiracy to loot the agricultural lands of farmers across the state by mentioning in the land records that the property belonged to the Waqf Board. Already, in the land records of thousands of farmers, the authorities have mentioned that these are the properties of the Waqf board and can’t be sold. The farmers in Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Yadgir, Bidar and Shivamogga districts are expressing their outrage in this regard," Vijayendra stated.

“As an opposition party, we need to stand with farmers and warn the state government. The large-scale agitation will be staged before the offices of all Deputy Commissioners in the state with the victim farmers whose lands are claimed by the Waqf,” he stated.

The demands will be made towards immediate removal of Minister for Waqf and Tourism Zameer Ahmad Khan and withdrawal of land records mentioning farmers' lands as Waqf property, he stated.

The memorandums will be submitted through the officials to the government issuing warning that at no cost the properties of farmers be allowed to become Waqf properties.

He further noted that the Congress government, during its current tenure, has not provided any relief for distressed farmers, nor has it introduced a single welfare programme for farmers. However, in recent days, it has been moving to seize farmers' lands under the guise of Waqf properties in various districts, including Vijayapura.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself has issued directives related to this, as mentioned in the minutes of the meeting held by the Deputy Commissioners in Vijayapura district. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has adopted a policy of appeasing minorities, has targeted farmers' lands, using his ministerial aide Zameer Ahmad Khan to seize lands that farmers have depended upon for generations to grow their crops. Looking at the current situation in Karnataka, one is reminded of the dark history of the 'Alauddin Khilji-Malik Kafur duo'," Vijayendra stated.

"This evokes memories of the brutal invasions Malik Kafur conducted on Khilji's orders all the way to southern Karnataka. Under the current Congress government’s rule, the people of Karnataka may feel compelled to stand against what seems like a new wave of Alauddin Khilji-Malik Kafur-like aggression," he maintained.

The BJP Karnataka will raise its voice in support of the people of this land, he stated.