Farmers, various groups led by BJP leaders submit representations to waqf bill JPC chairman in Hubballi

Former minister Govind Karjol (2nd from right) submits the report of the BJP’s fact-finding committee on Waqf issue in Vijayapura to Jagdambika Pal (2nd from left), chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee looking into the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in Hubballi on November 7, 2024.
| Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE

Members of various delegations mainly led by BJP legislators and leaders submitted their representations to the Chairman of  the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) looking into the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 Jagdambika Pal in Hubballi on November 7 complaining about mutation of individual and public properties being changed as waqf property in various districts of north Karnataka.

In what appeared like an event organised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Member of Parliament and JPC member Tejaswi Surya briefed the delegations about the context of the meeting and requested them to submit their representations to the JPC chairman, which would be looked into by the JPC.

The first representation was submitted by the BJP’s fact-finding committee on the waqf issue in Vijayapura by former minister Govind Karjol who alleged that the process of changing the mutations in the name of Waqf Board had been initiated by Waqf Minister B. Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan on the instruction of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Mr. Karjol said that the fact-finding committee visited the affected places and met the farmers. They had found that Sindhagi mutt, a 12th century mutt, a temple belonging to the period of Chalukyas, was among the properties that were mentioned as waqf properties in land records.

Advocate Mr. Jirali, who was part of the committee, said the mutations had been changed without giving any notice, citing an old order of the Waqf Board. He alleged that mutations were changed on the oral order of the Deputy Commissioner.

Receiving their representation, Mr. Jagdambika Pal said that he would place them before the JPC and call them to appear before the committee.

Deputy Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Arvind Bellad made a representation alleging that without any valid documents, properties were being declared as waqf assets. He urged the JPC chairman to stop the ‘land jihad’ of the Congress government.

President of Sri Rama Sene Pramod Mutalik submitted a representation on 240 houses in Belagavi district that were declared as waqf properties. Ravindranath Doddameti aired the grievances of 200 farmers whose farmlands of 774 acres had been declared as waqf properties.

A delegation of advocates from Haveri district, farmers from Uppina Betageri and Garag, members of Hindu Jagarana Vedike were among those who submitted memoranda.

Mohammed Jaffar Tahsildar from Belagalpet in Haveri district alleged that Waqf Board had snatched away his 1.11 acre farmland by force and demanded that the Waqf Board be abolished. Farmers from Gadag, Haveri, Belagavi, Dharwad were among those who submitted memoranda. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, BJP legislators Mahesh Tenginakai, M.R. Patil and others led various groups of farmers and affected persons while submitting memoranda.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy was present.