Waqf row: BJP submits fact-finding report on alleged land grab in Karnataka

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fact-finding committee on the alleged Waqf land-grab issue in Vijayapura in Karnataka has submitted their report to Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman, Jagdambika Pal.

The committee, led by BJP MP Govind M Karjol claims that there were several instances of land records being altered without any prior notice to the people.

"The Committee uncovered several instances where land records were altered without any prior notice, citing outdated Waqf Board orders and verbal directives from Deputy Commissioners," said party's Karnataka president, Vijayendra Yediyurappa on Thursday in a post on X.

The party has alleged that Waqf designations were added to land records for 44 properties in Indi and Chadachan taluks of Vijayapura district without proper notification, following a meeting between Karnataka Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and district officials.

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that he has instructed officials to stop issuing notices to farmers and to withdraw those already issued.

Jagdambika Pal also visited the area of Vijayapura, on the request of BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, and attended a protest organised by farmers, MLAs and former MPs. Pal addressing the protesters and said he listened to their problems.

"Today in Vijayapura, Karnataka, a joint protest is being organized by farmers and MLAs, former MPs, saints and people from the monastery against the Waqf Board, where I addressed them through a meeting and listened to their problems," read a post by Pal.

"Farmers met us and gave a memorandum and said that they used to do farming on the land for centuries and they had land deeds for it but now we are getting notice from the board. So will we be submitting the memorandum before the JPC," said Jagdambika Pal while speaking with media on Thursday.

The JPC Chairman visited Vijayapura upon a request by JPC member and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, to understand the concerns of farmers on their agricultural land being claimed by the Waqf Board.

Surya also met with the JPC chairman while he visited various districts where there were allegations of Waqf land grab. According to Karnataka BJP, the JPC chairman met more than 80 farmer organisations and 5 thousand farmers in Hubballi and Vijayapura districts.

BJP MLA Basanagouda R Patil earlier on Thursday demanded that Waqf properties be nationalized and declared national property too.

After Pal visited Karnataka, Patil said that 10 to 15 thousand farmers and public representatives told them about the manner in which lakhs of acres of land were grabbed by Siddaramaiah.