No farmer will be evicted, assures CM on Waqf land row

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Following allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, Karnataka Chief Minister Sidddaramaiah on Tuesday said none of them will be evicted, and notices issued to them will be withdrawn. "No farmer will be evicted from their land. Yesterday Revenue Minister (Krishna Byre Gowda), M B Patil (Industries and Vijayapura district in-charge Minister) and Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan have jointly said that no farmer from Vijayapura will be evicted from their land," Siddaramaiah said. Speaking to reporters here, he said in case notices have been issued to farmers, they will be withdrawn. Responding to a question that similar notices have been issued to farmers in Yadgir and Dharwad districts too, the CM said: "I will ask the Revenue Minister to look into it, nowhere farmers will be evicted." Seeking to clarify "confusion" over 1,200 acres in Honavada of Tikota taluk being marked as Waqf property, M B Patil had recently said it was due to an “error” in the gazette notification.

He also had said only 11 acres out of the 1,200 acres are Waqf properties, and a task force headed by the Deputy Commissioner will be formed to resolve the issues. Meanwhile, Patil earlier today accused the BJP of promoting a "fake Hindu love" stance through misinformation, as he claimed that notices were served to farmers in Vijayapura district by the Waqf Board between 2019 and 2022, when the saffron party was in power. Posting the copies of notices issued during the BJP rule on 'X', Patil criticised the party for engaging in "divisive politics," rather than focusing on the state's development during its tenure.

Earlier in the day, Vijayendra, speaking to reporters, hit out at the ruling Congress for accusing the BJP of doing politics. The BJP state chief said a team formed by the party under the leadership of former Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol has reached Vijayapura district.