Karnataka Ministers Clarify Waqf Land Controversy Amidst Political Tensions

Three Karnataka ministers have refuted claims that the Waqf Board intends to acquire farmers' land. They accuse the BJP of politicizing the issue for electoral gains. The ministers reassured legitimate landowners of their rights, amidst alleged misinformation about land record updates in Vijayapura district.

In a joint press conference on Monday, three Karnataka ministers firmly denied allegations that the Waqf Board intends to acquire farmers' lands, attributing the controversy to political tactics by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Waqf Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, and Vijayapura District In-charge Minister MB Patil accused the BJP of using the issue for electoral advantages.

Minister Gowda clarified that of the 14,201.32 acres designated as Waqf land in Vijayapura, the majority had been either legally granted to farmers or acquired for projects over the years, leaving only 773 acres under Waqf's control. He emphasized that recent attention on land in Honavada village was unwarranted, as only 11 acres were Waqf property with no eviction actions against farmers.

The ministers also cited internal BJP rivalries as a source of misinformation, exacerbated by a Tahsildar's unauthorized land record updates. Minister Patil announced a task force to verify records, while Minister Khan reiterated intentions to merely update Waqf records, not acquire farmers' land. The BJP, however, contests these claims, citing unacknowledged land record changes.

(With inputs from agencies.)