BJP Protests Erupt in Karnataka over Waqf Land Claims

BJP workers held protests in Karnataka's Kalaburagi and Haveri districts against the alleged land encroachments by the Waqf Board. The protests have sparked a political controversy involving farmers, religious figures, and government officials as claims challenge generational rights to farmland and historic sites.

In a fervent display of political unrest, BJP workers on Thursday staged significant protests in Karnataka's Kalaburagi and Haveri districts. The demonstrators opposed the alleged encroachments of farmers' lands by the state Waqf Board, drawing participation from local farmers and religious figures.

Chalavadi Narayanswamy, the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, accused the Waqf Board of unlawfully 'snatching' lands from farmers. 'Today, this protest is being orchestrated in Kalaburagi against Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and the Congress government,' Narayanswamy stated, fueling the political fire.

The tension escalated as BJP activists in Haveri voiced slogans against the ruling Congress. Police intervened, forcibly dispersing the gathering and detaining protestors.

This unrest stems from a rise in land claims by the Waqf Board, impacting a variety of properties, including ancestral lands, temples, and monuments under the ASI. The claims have deeply unsettled local farmers and landowners, who express concern over losing generational land rights without due process.

At the heart of the dispute, over 15,000 acres in Vijayapura District and 1,500 acres in Tikota Taluk have been declared Waqf property, essential land for many farmers' livelihoods.

The Karnataka Government's Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department responded to these developments by warning officials against altering land mutation records or issuing unauthorized eviction notices under the Waqf Act. A governmental order calls for halting these actions immediately.

(With inputs from agencies.)