Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, MPs Ramesh Jigajinagi and Vishweshvar Hegde Kageri, MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and others joined a protest by Bharatiya Kisan Morcha against the Waqf Board and the State government against what they called attempts by the board to take over land belonging to innocent farmers.
Heads of several Lingayat Maths and other religious institutions led the protest rally that began from the Sri Siddeshwara temple and ended at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The protestors submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner before dispersing.
Some Muslim farmers also addressed the rally. They complained that the Waqf Board is trying to take over their ancestral property.
Seers Sri Adrushya Kadasiddeshwar Swami and Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami addressed the protestors.
They demanded that the State government scrap the 1974 gazette notification that records over 14,000 acres as Waqf property in Vijayapura district.
Sri Kadasiddeshwar Swami accused the Congress government of making laws only to help Muslims in the name of empowering the Waqf Board.
He wanted the government to abolish the Waqf Board.
Ms. Karandlaje criticised the Congress government and accused it of not hesitating to even “kill farmers to appease Muslims”.
She described the Waqf Board as an unconstitutional entity that was given disproportionately large powers by the former PM Jawaharlal Nehru.
It has such overarching powers that its decisions cannot be questioned in regular courts, she said.
She also criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying he is conspiring to bring all public property of the State under Waqf Board control. “It amounts to imposition of Sharia law in Karnataka,” she said.
The best examples are where notices have been issued to non-inherited land. This is clearly unlawful, she said.
She said the BJP is standing strongly behind farmers who are being harassed by the Waqf Board.
“Our struggle will continue until justice is served. Notices served to farmers must be withdrawn,” she said.
“However, mere withdrawal notices is not enough. It will not embolden our farmers who are apprehensive of their land being taken away. The government needs to cancel the 1974 notification that documents Waqf land in the State and in Vijayapura district,’‘ she said.
Published - November 04, 2024 08:53 pm IST
