The farmers in Vijayapura district have submitted a memorandum to district in charge minister MB Patil after some of the villagers received notices claiming that their lands were property of the Waqf board, officials familiar with the matter said.
The dispute involves 1,200 acres in Honwada village, Tikota taluk, with farmers alleging that the officials are attempting to designate the land under the Shah Aminuddin Dargah, a religious institution. In the alleged notices sent by the tehsildar, the officials have said that the lands belong to the Waqf board as per the government records. HT could not independently verify the veracity of the notices.
Minister for housing, Wakf and minority welfare department Jameer Ahmed Khan held a meeting with Waqf officers earlier this month to address encroachments on Waqf properties. Following these discussions, the officials initiated steps to clear illegal encroachments, which resulted in the issuance of the contentious notices.
.“The notice claimed that the land belonged to Shah Aminuddin Dargah, but this dargah hasn’t existed for centuries, and our families have owned this land for generations,” Suneel Shankarappa Tudigal, vice president of Honwada gram panchayat, said. “Around 41 farmers have received notices, asking them to provide ownership records, but we are the rightful owners. If the government doesn’t withdraw these notices, we will launch a massive protest.”
Officials from the Waqf Board, however, said that the notices were based on a 1974 gazette notification. “The land was marked as Waqf property by the state government, and this was documented in the gazette,” Tabassum, an official from the Vijayapura Waqf board. “However, a few notices were mistakenly sent to farmers. If they have valid land records, the Waqf board will not take any action against them.”
{{/usCountry}}Officials from the Waqf Board, however, said that the notices were based on a 1974 gazette notification. “The land was marked as Waqf property by the state government, and this was documented in the gazette,” Tabassum, an official from the Vijayapura Waqf board. “However, a few notices were mistakenly sent to farmers. If they have valid land records, the Waqf board will not take any action against them.”
{{/usCountry}}Amid the allegations, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have accused the state government of supporting the Waqf board’s actions at the expense of farmers. “The Waqf board, under the Congress government’s encouragement, is now attempting to seize farmers’ land. This is nothing but appeasement politics,” read a tweet from the BJP. The party also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s NDA government is planning to amend the Waqf Act, which the Congress is opposing.
In response, Patil said: “If the farmers have valid ownership records predating this, their lands will not be affected.” He also said that a meeting will be held with the deputy commissioner next week to resolve the issue.