Parliamentary Chair's Karnataka Visit Amid Waqf Controversy

Jagdambika Pal, chair of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, will visit Karnataka to meet farmers affected by notices related to Waqf properties. The BJP criticizes these notices as Congress' vote bank politics. Pal also faces criticism for alleged unilateral decisions in the committee.

Jagdambika Pal, chairman of the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, heads to Karnataka this Thursday to address concerns from farmers over contested Waqf property notices - recently withdrawn amid controversy. The accusations of encroachment have stirred significant unrest among local agricultural communities.

During his visit, Pal, accompanied by fellow committee member and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, plans to meet various stakeholders, including elected leaders and farmer organizations, particularly in Hubli and Bijapur. Surya noted that these discussions are crucial following the Waqf's contentious action against local farmers.

This development arrives as the Congress-led Karnataka administration retracts the controversial notices, attributing them to a gazette error. Critics within the committee, especially opposition figures, have decried Pal's approach, accusing him of unilateral and heavy-handed decision-making. The committee is also set to tour five additional state capitals to gather broader stakeholder opinions this November.

(With inputs from agencies.)