India News | BJP Stages State-wide Protest Against Cong Govt in Karnataka over Waqf Properties Row
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Upping the ante following allegations by a section of farmers in certain parts of Karnataka that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, BJP on Monday held a state-wide protest, accusing the Congress government of indulging in "land jihad".
Bengaluru, Nov 4 (PTI) Upping the ante following allegations by a section of farmers in certain parts of Karnataka that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, BJP on Monday held a state-wide protest, accusing the Congress government of indulging in "land jihad".
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Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who on Saturday directed officials that all notices issued to farmers be immediately revoked, and any unauthorised amendments in land records without due notice must also be nullified. dismissed the BJP's action as nothing but politics.
The opposition party also demanded the sacking of Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan from the Cabinet.
There were allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, and similar charges have surfaced from few other places subsequently.
Bijapur (Vijayapura) City BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, along with Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, on Monday launched a day-and-night dharna demanding the revocation of the Waqf gazette notification, near the Vijayapura Deputy Commissioner office.
"We will not give up until the issue is completely settled. Shobha Karandlaje and I have begun our indefinite protest.....If we are all strong, lands of our farmers and Mutts will remain with us. This protest will not end here, we will take this up across Karnataka," he said.
Seeking to clarify "confusion" over 1,200 acres in Honavada of Tikota taluk being marked as Waqf property, Vijayapura district in-charge Minister M B Patil had recently said it was due to an “error” in the gazette notification.
While BJP state President B Y Vijayendra led the protest in Ballari, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka took part in it at K R Puram here. Various party leaders joined the protests in different parts of the state.
Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, the Chief Minister alleged that for the sake of politics, the BJP is "taking this issue forward and fighting," but people have understood that the Waqf property issue is not something that is new, and notices were served during all previous governments including the BJP.
Vijayendra, meanwhile, accused Siddaramaiah of conspiring with a "traitor" like Khan and charged them with trying to create unrest in the state.
"The government and ruling party are behind it. Zameer Ahmhed Khan as a Minister is travelling across the state threatening officers. Lands of Mutts are being claimed as Waqf property. More than 15,000 acres of farmers' lands are being claimed in the name of Waqf," he said.
Vijayendra challenged Siddaramaiah to take action against Congress leaders who have allegedly encroached on Waqf land if he has guts and if he was honest.
Ashoka alleged that the CM cannot be trusted, and hence farmers of the state won't trust him.
"...repeatedly for the sake of Muslims, you are destroying Karnataka, who will believe in such a Siddaramaiah? No one, no farmer will trust him...This Waqf board has become a board of Adilshah, Gazni Mohammed, Babar's board," he said.
Protests were held in Mangaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Hubballi, Vijayapura, and Davangere among other places; at some places police had to whisk away the protesters.
Karandlaje said in the district headquarters town of Vijayapura: "I will sit on a day-and-night dharna in Vijayapura along with Basangouda Patil Yatnnal and all those who are affected."
As many 43 ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) sites have been claimed as Waqf property, she said. "If everything is claimed as Waqf, this is nothing but a conspiracy.....what is happening in the state? What are you trying to do? 'Land Terrorism or Land Jihad' is going on....Are you trying to bring Sharia law? This wont happen in Karnataka."
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)