Tension erupts in Haveri over Waqf land claim

According to a senior district official, the incident on Wednesday late night was triggered by rumours that area around a Hanuman temple in the village could soon be reclassified as Waqf land.

Tension gripped Kadakol village in Karnataka’s Haveri district after a group of residents pelted stones on houses belonging to the minority community, fearing their land will be claimed by the Waqf board, officials said, adding that five people, including a local Muslim leader, were injured in the violence.

According to a senior district official, the incident on Wednesday late night was triggered by rumours that area around a Hanuman temple in the village could soon be reclassified as Waqf land. (HT PHOTO)

According to a senior district official, the incident on Wednesday late night was triggered by rumours that area around a Hanuman temple in the village could soon be reclassified as Waqf land, with heated arguments among residents from both communities turning violent.

Haveri deputy commissioner Vijaymahanthesh Danammavar said the district administration had recently issued an internal circular for the annual mutation — process of updating Waqf property records — with instructions to verify documentation.

“There are three Waqf-notified properties in the village. We had given a direction that where there is a Waqf property, it had to be mutated. Considering the issue persisting in the state, the zilla panchayat CEO had asked us to verify the documents. Residents got apprehensive about their properties being seized and resorted to stone pelting,” he said.

“Stones were pelted on the houses of sitting and former members of the Anjuman committee as well as the Anjuman chairman,” the senior official said.

The deputy commissioner and Haveri superintendent of police (SP) Anshu Kumar intervened and deployed additional police forces to control the situation. Police detained 32 people for questioning but released them later. Since no complaint has been filed, police said, they initiated suo motu (on their own) action.

Soon after the incident, Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday alleged that the Haveri zilla panchayat CEO has issued an order to transfer two temples to the Waqf board.

“The Zilla Panchayat CEO of Haveri has passed an order to take over Hanuman Temple and Durgavva Temple. Yesterday Waqf Board members have gone there to take over the position and naturally people have resisted and the police on arrival at the scene have lodged an FIR against the local Hindus who have resided there for over 60-70 years. They want to take over Hanuman Temple. They are trying to drive the locals homeless. It is most unfortunate that the CEO of Zilla Panchayat has ordered this,” the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said in a post on X, adding he strongly condemns the “action of the government and particularly the Panchayat”.

BJP lawmaker Tejasvi Surya has also recently alleged that 1,500 acres of land in Honavada area in Vijayapura district was designated as Waqf property and notices were issued to farmers. Karnataka law minister HK Patil, however, assured residents that the notices would be withdrawn. State’s industries minister MB Patil clarified that the confusion stemmed from a 1974 government notification.

State’s housing, Waqf, and minority welfare minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan claimed the misunderstanding was a “conspiracy” hatched by the BJP to create unnecessary alarm among farmers.

“I can under no circumstances take away the land of regular citizens, how can I take away the land of farmers? The chief minister has said and I will also as the Waqf minister say that in case any such notice is issued to the farmers, we will take it back,” Khan told reporters.

Claiming that similar notices were common during the previous BJP-led governments, he added: “The issuing of these notices is not new. During 2008 to 2013 and 2019 to 2023, there was a BJP-led government in the state. Not hundreds but thousands of notices were issued.”

Khan pointed out that of the 112,000 acres of land once managed by the Waqf board, only 23,860 acres remain with it, adding that efforts are made to ensure these lands are preserved. He promised to present documents to clarify the Waqf board’s stance and counter the rumours spreading about potential land seizures by holding a press conference in Bengaluru.