Siddu terms BJP waqf protests election stunt

NT | Bengaluru

 Chief Minist er Sidd aramaiah on Wednesday termed the Opposition BJP’s protests against the recent events surrounding waqf properties an election stunt. The CM was responding to the saffron party’s protest against the waqf board on Wednesday for claiming certain lands as being encroached. Waqf is an Islamic endowment, usually land or other assets donated by Muslims in the name of God for charitable purposes. Auqaf is the plural of waqf. “The BJP is trying to politicize the matter. Despite there being no controversy, they’re trying to create one for the sake of elections,” Siddaramaiah said. The CM also reiterated that notices to farmers would be withdrawn and that they wouldn’t be evicted. A couple of weeks ago, 124 farmers in Honavada village in Tikota taluk of Vijayapura district received notices by the local tehsildar informing them that their lands were being claimed by the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf (KSBA).

Since then, Vijayapura district in-charge minister MB Patil has clarified that only 11 of the 1,200 acres in Honavada village is waqf property and the rest belongs to farmers. He added that the earlier mistake was due to a gazette notification typo. Moreover, both Siddaramaiah and Law Minister HK Patil have clarified that the notices would be withdrawn and that farmers would not be evicted. The KSBA claims that there are large scale encroachments of waqf properties, a claim supported by Minister for Housing, Minority Welfare and Waqf Zameer Ahmed. The BJP insists that lands not owned by the waqf board are being claimed by them.