Waqf row: BJP raking up issue with eye on Maha polls, says Minister

Hubballi, NT Bureau: Karnataka Minister for Housing, Waqf and Minority affairs Zameer Ahmed Khan on Wednesday alleged that BJP was unnecessarily raking up the "Waqf issue" for the sake of politics, with an eye on the upcoming Assembly by-polls in the state and elections in neighbouring Maharashtra. He said, as the Minister in-charge for Waqf, he wants to assure that no farmer will be "troubled." There are allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, and similar allegations have surfaced from a few other places.

"Purposefully the Waqf issue is being raised by the BJP, as elections are approaching, there are bypolls (in Karnataka) and Maharashtra polls. It had happened (notices were) issued to farmers during the BJP rule too from 2008-13," Khan said. "No one can take away land from farmers, whom we regard as 'Annadatas.'" "How can someone take away someone else's land, is there no law? I might be a Minister, just because I say can officials make someone's land a Waqf property? There is a law. I had done Waqf Adalats only aimed at saving encroached Waqf lands and properties....." he said and charged the BJP with trying to incite farmers on the Waqf issue. "...they (BJP) are playing politics by inciting people and farmers....for the sake of election, this issue is being taken up....they don't have any other issue, so purposefully they are using the Waqf issue for politics, ahead of by polls and Maharashtra Assembly polls," Khan said. Amid allegations that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said none of them will be evicted, and notices issued to them will be withdrawn. Seeking to clarify "confusion" over 1,200 acres in Honavada of Tikota taluk being marked as Waqf property, the government and Vijayapura district incharge Minister M B Patil had recently said it was due to an “error” in the gazette notification.

Patil 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. Khan, who is under opposition's attack over the Waqf issue, claimed that BJP opposes Muslims as the community "doesn't vote for them." Stating that he has never indulged in spreading communal hatred, he said: "I'm a pure Hindustani, Indian, pure, 25 carat...."