Karnataka CM Orders Withdrawal of Wakf Land Notices

Bengaluru: Observing opposition parties-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) of using notices served to farmers over Wakf to take advantage for their political gains, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday directed officials concerned to immediately withdraw notices served to farmers concerning to Wakf land issue.

The decision to withdraw notices served to farmers comes in the wake of BJP’s State wide protest on Monday over Wakf land issue along with farmers who have been slapped notices by Tahsildhar’s. The notices were served on farmers of Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar, Shivamogga among others asking farmers to produce documents on the land owned by them.

Regarding the notices to farmers, a high-level meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Saturday and directed the officials concerned not to harass farmers regarding lands under their possession. The Chief Minister asked the officials concerned over any unauthorized modifications to land records without prior notice or legal procedure should be immediately nullified.

Expressing dissatisfaction over recent actions initiated by certain officials, especially serving notices to farmers over Wakf land issue, Chief Minister alleged the Walf land issue to be potentially used by JDS and BJP to disturb peace and tranquility in the society.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA R. Ashok alleged notices have been served on 139 farmers in Indi taluk and Vijayapaura taluk of Vijayapura district by officials concerned of Revenue department with an intention to by Wakf Board to take away about 12,000 acres and another 15,000 acres in Vijayapura and Indi taluks.

Ashok alleged farmers were served notices by officials concerned at the behest of the State Government and termed the notices to farmers over Wakf land issue as ‘Land Jihad’ happening in Karnataka.