Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that he is ready to form a committee headed by a retired judge to look into the waqf property issue.
The Chief Minister also assured the Karnataka Assembly that the government will not remove temples built on waqf property. If a notice is sent to them, it will be withdrawn, he said.
Responding to a question raised by the opposition BJP on the Waqf land issue during the ongoing assembly session on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said, “Revenue Minister Krishna Bire Gowda has given a detailed reply to the opposition party’s allegations.
“If not satisfied with our answer, the government is ready to form a committee under the chairmanship of a retired judge,” the Chief Minister told the House.
He also clarified that this issue is not a matter of prestige.
Siddaramaiah said the central government had framed the Waqf Act in 1954, which could not be amended by the state government.
“The BJP-led government was in power in the state from 2008 to 2013 and from 2019 to 2023. The BJP has been in power at the Center since 2014. Then, without even thinking about amending the Waqf Act, they are now creating controversy,” he said. Accused.
Siddaramaiah said that the BJP, in its election manifesto, said it would hold talks with Muslim religious leaders and vacate and protect encroached waqf properties.
The government has given clear answers to all the questions of the opposition. He said that this should remove the confusion among the people.
Siddaramaiah assured the House that the government would not touch waqf lands sanctioned under the Abolition of Inam and Land Reforms Act.
According to him, out of total 1 lakh 28 thousand acres of waqf property, 47 thousand 263 acres have been canceled and 23 thousand 623 acres have been used under the Land Reforms Act and three thousand acres have been used for public purposes. About 17 thousand 969 acres of waqf land has been encroached by private individuals.
“There is a Supreme Court order to protect it. Once it is registered as a waqf property, it will always be a waqf property,” he said.
During a discussion on the Waqf Board issuing eviction notices to farmers, temples and many others, the Chief Minister said, “If temples are built on Waqf property, we will not evict them. I am making it clear. If any notices are issued, they (notices) will be withdrawn.” .”
As the raging waqf issue echoed in the Assembly after it was raised by the BJP, Waqf and Minority Affairs Minister BZ Zameer Ahmad Khan made it clear that farmers and temples would withdraw if notices were given.
The Chief Minister also reiterated Khan’s statement and said that no farmer will be evicted from the land they are cultivating.
BJP MLA Araga Gyanendra also demanded the removal of properties mentioned as waqfs in government records as mere cancellation of notifications would not serve the purpose.
Leader of Opposition R Ashok justified the demand by saying that 110 Kuruba families from Krishna Raja constituency in Siddaramaiah’s home district Mysuru were running from pillar to post to get the notice quashed.
They have submitted several memorandums to Siddaramaiah, but to no avail, he said, adding that there are hundreds of such instances where people are facing hardship due to such notices.
Khan reminded the BJP that it had promised in its manifesto in 2014 to remove encroachment on waqf properties.
Emphasizing the need to save waqf properties, the Chief Minister said that the state had 1.10 lakh acres of such properties which have now been reduced to only 20,000 acres due to various provisions of laws such as the Inam Abolition Act and encroachment.
Gyanendra said, “We (BJP) also support saving waqf property but why the notice has been given now is our matter.”
Siddaramaiah said that the situation is such that there is a need to save assets and notices have been given as there is a central law for this.
Clarification was now necessary as Vijayapura BJP MLA from Bidar, Basangowda Patil Yatnal said that he had taken out the padayatra from Bidar.
“There are political divisions in the BJP but I will not discuss your internal affairs,” quipped Siddaramaiah.
He pointed to differences between Yatnal and BJP state chief BY Vijayendra. As a show of strength, Yatnal decided to march from Bidar to Chamrajnagar with the support of 12 senior BJP leaders including MPs and MLAs.
He accused the BJP of politicizing the issue. He recalled that despite efforts to communalise the atmosphere in the state, the BJP had recently lost the by-elections in all the three assembly constituencies, Channapatna, Sandur and Shigaon.
Dissatisfied with the explanation given by the Congress government, the BJP MLAs walked out of the Assembly.