Waqf Land Controversy: Farmers' Plight in Karnataka

The Waqf property dispute in Karnataka has ignited tensions, as the Waqf Board stakes claims on farmers' ancestral lands and heritage sites. Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, visited to address farmers' concerns, while BJP calls for reforms to prevent further land disputes.

The dispute over Waqf land in Karnataka has intensified, with the Waqf Board laying claims on farmers' ancestral lands, temples, and government properties. The controversy drew the attention of Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, who visited Vijayapura to meet affected farmers.

During his visit, Chairman Pal acknowledged receiving a memorandum from farmers distressed by notices declaring their lands as Waqf property. Assuring them that their concerns would be taken to the committee, Pal emphasized the need to deliberate on policy changes to address such grievances.

BJP leaders, including MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, have urged declaring all Waqf properties as national assets, highlighting the lack of notification and due process in these claims. They demand the reversal of unilateral changes in land records, attributing the rise in claims to ongoing discussions on reforming the Waqf Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)