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Sidda assures protection of temples on Waqf land
The announcement comes amid debates over eviction notices served by the Waqf Board to farmers, temples, and other entities.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the Assembly on Wednesday that temples constructed on Waqf properties would not face removal. He also confirmed that eviction notices issued to such temples would be withdrawn. The announcement comes amid debates over eviction notices served by the Waqf Board to farmers, temples, and other entities.
“If temples have been built on Waqf properties, then we will not remove them. I am making it very clear. In case any notice has been issued, they (notices) will be withdrawn,” Siddaramaiah stated during the session. Supporting this stance, Waqf and Minority Affairs Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan added, “If notices were given to farmers and temples, they will be withdrawn.”
The opposition BJP criticised the government, citing the struggles of individuals affected by these notices. R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition, pointed to 110 Kuruba families in Siddaramaiah’s home district of Mysuru who have been seeking relief. He accused the government of ignoring repeated pleas, saying, “There are hundreds of such instances where people face hardship by such notices.”
BJP legislator Araga Jnanendra called for properties listed as Waqf in government records to be delisted, arguing that merely withdrawing notices would not resolve the issue. Minister Khan reminded the BJP of its own 2014 manifesto, which included a promise to remove encroachments on Waqf land.
Highlighting the need to protect Waqf properties, Siddaramaiah revealed that the state had lost a significant portion of its Waqf land over the years. “There were 1.10 lakh acres of Waqf properties in the state, which has now reduced to just 20,000 acres due to various provisions of law such as the Inam Abolition Act as well as encroachment,” he explained.
Amid heated exchanges, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of politicizing the issue. He pointed to a march led by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and remarked, “There is a political split in the BJP, but I won’t discuss your internal matter.” He further emphasized that despite attempts to communalize the issue, the BJP had suffered losses in the recent bypolls in Channapatna, Sandur, and Shiggaon.
Unconvinced by the government’s explanations, BJP members staged a walkout.
In a related development, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging a government circular that suspended the inclusion of Waqf land in property records cultivated by farmers. The court ruled that the petition lacked merit.
(With PTI inputs)
