Hubballi: Chief minister Siddaramaiah dismissed claims that the withdrawal of Waqf Board notices to farmers was influenced by protests from the opposition BJP, pointing out that 216 similar notices were issued when BJP and JD(S), its ally, were at the helm.
Siddaramaiah said the govts of BS Yediyurappa, DV Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar, and HD Kumaraswamy had all issued similar notices and asked: "Why did they issue them? Why are they silent on those notices now?"
He said issuance of waqf property notices has been a longstanding practice across govts and criticised former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai for his contradictory stance on the issue, highlighting that Bommai had previously vowed to protect encroached waqf land but now appears to oppose it for political gain.
"Even after we clarified that the notices have been withdrawn, BJP is indulging in politics over it. As soon as we came to know about the issue, we decided to withdraw the notice. Where is the question of a row?" the CM asked.
Questioned on allegations of zero development, Siddaramaiah defended his govt's performance, saying, "During my previous term as CM, we made 165 promises. Of them, 158 were fulfilled. Is it not development?" He claimed that from a budget of Rs 3.7 lakh crore, significant funds have been allocated for both guarantee schemes and development programmes.
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Ashoka calls halt on Waqf Board registrations
In a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah and joint parliamentary committee chairman Jagadambika Pal,
opposition leader R Ashoka has demanded "immediate cessation" of all Waqf Board registrations in Karnataka.
He said merely withdrawing notices is inadequate and instead farmers' names must be reinstated in property records and the 1974 gazette notification repealed.
Highlighting unrest caused by these developments, he said farmers in Vijayapura district have received notices to acquire 15,000 acres. He alleged that the Waqf Board is "secretly" attempting to register about 10,000 acres in each district, endangering ancestral lands of thousands of farmers.