Karnataka Waqf Board claims 53 historic monuments, including Gol Gumbaz: Report

43 monuments in Vijayapura, the former capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty, were officially declared Waqf properties by the Board in 2005.

The Karnataka Waqf Board has laid claim to at least 53 historic monuments across the state, including the iconic Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, and Bara Kaman in Vijayapura, as well as forts in Bidar and Kalaburagi, Deccan Herald reported.

Waqf Board has also staked claims on additional ASI-protected monuments, including six in the Hampi circle.

According to the report, 43 monuments in Vijayapura, the former capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty, were officially declared Waqf properties by the Board in 2005. However, many of these monuments have since been encroached upon and altered, the report added.

A Right to Information (RTI) response obtained by Deccan Herald revealed that the Waqf Board designated these sites as Waqf properties based on the same Record of Rights (ROR) documents held by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

However, the ASI claims that this was done without its consultation or approval.

The report further add that the Waqf Board has also staked claims on additional ASI-protected monuments, including six in the Hampi circle, four in the Bengaluru circle, and the Masjid-i-Ala in Srirangapatna.

Waqf withdrawal notice

Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday ordered revenue department officials to immediately withdraw notices issued to farmers concerning Waqf land claims, a statement from the chief minister’s office said.

A decision to this effect was taken during a high-level meeting, with senior officials from the revenue department, the minority welfare department, and the Karnataka board of Waqfs.

“Chief minister Siddaramaiah has issued a strict directive for the immediate retraction of all notices sent to farmers about Waqf land, emphasising that no disruption should be caused to them,” the CMO statement said.

The order came days after protests, that began in Vijayapura and soon spread to Dharwad and Kalaburagi, over notices that asked farmers to submit land records to prove ownership or ownership would be transferred to the Waqf Board.