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No farmers in Vijayapura will be evicted, says Siddaramaiah
MB Patil criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party for what he described as divisive politics around Waqf property issues
Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday assured farmers of Vijayapura district that they will not face eviction from their lands amid concerns over properties reportedly marked as Waqf land.
“Revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda, industries minister and Vijayapura district in charge MB Patil, and Waqf minister Zameer Ahmed Khan affirmed this decision, responding to grievances raised by local farmers...No farmer will be evicted from their land,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru.
He further said that he would direct Gowda to investigate similar cases reported in Yadgir and Dharwad districts, ensuring that no farmers would face forced eviction across the state.
In Tikota taluk in Vijyarapura district, an error in a gazette notification reportedly marked 1,200 acres as Waqf property, although Patil clarified that only 11 acres fell under Waqf jurisdiction. A task force led by deputy commissioner T Bhoobalan will examine the matter to prevent further confusion.
Meanwhile, MB Patil criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for what he described as divisive politics around Waqf property issues. He alleged that the BJP, which previously led the state government, had not addressed concerns regarding Waqf property notices sent to farmers in Vijayapura between 2019 and 2022. Sharing documentation on social media, Patil said, “The BJP, during its own governance, ignored development for the state and engaged in controversies around hijab, halal, and fabricated historical narratives. Now, they’re continuing these tactics under the guise of Waqf property claims.”
In response to the remarks, Union minister Pralhad Joshi attacked the Congress government’s handling of the Waqf property issue, accusing it of “appeasement politics” that harms farmers’ interests.
He said that the government manipulated land records, listing the Waqf board as the landowner on the instructions from Waqf minister Zameer Khan. He further said that these actions seek to appease minorities ahead of bypolls for three assembly seats. “By tampering with the revenue records, the government is entering the name of Waqf board as the owner of the farmers’ land and thus causing grave injustice to the people,” he asserted.
Joshi also criticised the Waqf Act, tracing its origins back to Congress governance under Jawaharlal Nehru, and alleged that recent provisions, such as those under UPA II in 2013, grant exceptional powers to the Waqf board, preventing even the Supreme Court from challenging its notifications.
He warned that unchecked influence by the Waqf board could lead to extensive land claims based on any history of namaz being offered on the land. The minister further criticised Vijayapura’s deputy commissioner for requiring farmers to prove land ownership, suggesting that those involved in the alleged record tampering be penalised. He called for the repeal of the Waqf Act, emphasising the NDA government’s push for amendments despite Congress’s opposition. He affirmed the BJP’s stance against what he described as Congress’s attempt to “snatch away poor people’s land.”
