BJP’s Tejasvi Surya urges JPC to hear from farmers affected by waqf land claims | Bengaluru

South Bengaluru Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday requested Jagdambika Pal, Chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf amendment bill to call a delegation of farmers from Karnataka who have been affected by having their land allegedly being claimed as Waqf property.

Taking to his social media on X, Surya posted a copy of the letter and said, “Have written to the Chairperson of the JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill Jagdambika Pal, drawing attention to the plight of farmers from Vijayapura District and other areas in the vicinity in Karnataka, who have been wrongfully served notices claiming their land as Waqf property.”

Check the post here:

“Requested him to invite a delegation of these farmers as witnesses before the committee and also to visit the affected areas for a public hearing to understand the scale of this issue firsthand,” he said.

However, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday assured that no farmer would be evicted from their land.

“No farmers will be evicted from their lands and if notices are issued to them, they will be withdrawn,” he said

He made these remarks while responding to questions from the media regarding notices sent to farmers in Vijayapura, Yadgir, and Dharwad districts, claiming that their lands belong to the Waqf Board.

The CM also mentioned that Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Vijayapura District In-charge Minister M.B. Patil, and Wakf Minister Zameer Ahmed had jointly addressed a press conference yesterday to clarify the matter.

(Also Read: Karnataka govt to recall Waqf land notices sent to farmers)

Karnataka BJP Spokesperson however refused to buy the government’s arguments claiming that it was anti-poor.

” A huge controversy erupted when the farmers of Vijayapura displayed their RTC certificate where it was mentioned as waqf property. Karnataka Minister MB Patil who belongs to Vijayapura denied it and said BJP is politicising…now govt is trying to do damage control. This govt is anti-farmer and to safeguard their votebanks, they won’t hesitate to sacrifice the lands of the farmers to the Waqf board,” he said.

(Also Read: “No farmers will be evicted from their lands”: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Waqf Lands)

(With agency inputs)