After 'land grab', 'religious land acquisition' has emerged in Karnataka: BJP on Waqf controversy

Bengaluru, Dec 13 (NationPress) The Karnataka BJP asserted on Friday that following 'land grab', 'religious land acquisition' has initiated in the state as part of appeasement towards Muslims regarding the Waqf Board.

“Land grab has commenced in the state akin to love jihad, which includes fencing off farmers’ properties, evicting them, and adding Waqf entries to land records. The state government is leveraging the Waqf Board to encroach upon Hindu lands, temples, and cemeteries, thereby fostering divisions between Hindus and Muslims,” expressed Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka while addressing the Legislative Assembly.

He further accused the Congress of adhering to the British policy of 'divide and rule' and demanded the removal of Waqf entries from farmers' land records.

He insisted on retracting previous notifications and called for support for the Central government's amendments to Waqf laws to rectify grievances faced by Hindus and farmers.

Ashoka drew parallels between the Waqf land encroachment issue and poet Kuvempu's assertion about oppressive governments exploiting farmers.

He alleged that historic temples, grazing lands, schools, cemeteries, ancestral properties, and government lands are being seized by the Waqf Board, with land records being altered overnight.

“Farmers are already struggling due to droughts and floods, and now the Waqf Board is laying claim to their lands. Residents are compelled to travel to the Waqf Board office in Bengaluru to defend their cases and are pressured to lease their lands for 30 years with annual payments,” he stated.

He claimed that during India's partition, Pakistan appropriated Hindu lands as state property, while in India, they were designated as Waqf properties, marking the inception of Congress's appeasement politics.

“Initially, Waqf properties could only be donated by a Muslim. However, the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led Congress government amended the law to permit anyone to donate land, which has led to complications. The law stipulates that if a Deputy Commissioner refers a land proposal to the Waqf Board, it must be published in the gazette within six months, a regulation even BJP governments have adhered to,” he noted.

Ashoka criticized the 2013 UPA government, helmed by Manmohan Singh, for amending the law to require that only a Muslim official manage the Waqf Board, unlike the Hindu religious affairs department, which lacks such a stipulation.

He contended that this has resulted in the present issues where farmers must authenticate ownership if the Waqf Board asserts a claim on their land.

“Moreover, pursuing complaints against the Waqf Board in court is not straightforward,” he added.

He also accused the government of issuing widespread notices after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah allegedly instructed them to do so, following pressure from Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

He referenced instances where forest lands in Sirsi, an old government school site in Mandya, and 19 guntas of land at Sir M. Visvesvaraya's school in Chikkaballapur were claimed by the Waqf Board.

He noted that a mosque was constructed within the school compound, and land records were modified just prior to his visit.

Ashoka also mentioned the Windsor Manor Hotel land lease controversy reported from Bengaluru.

“An assembly committee was established to address the dispute. The committee identified irregularities. This property generates revenue between Rs 5 to Rs 6 crore annually,” he stated.

Ashoka challenged Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan to disprove his claims regarding notices issued to 100 Kuruba homes in Mysuru, asserting that if he was proven incorrect, he was prepared to face public backlash.