Sun Nov 10 19:47:41 UTC 2024: ## BJP’s Waqf Land Campaign in Karnataka Turns National Issue

**Vijayapura, Karnataka:** A campaign launched by the BJP in Karnataka alleging that the Waqf Board is unfairly seizing farmland from farmers has taken on national significance. What started as a social media post by MP Tejasvi Surya, claiming the Board was trying to claim 1,500 acres in Honawad village, has escalated into widespread protests and even caught the attention of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

The JPC Chairman, Jagadambika Pal, visited the affected regions and met with farmers. He announced that he would invite a delegation to Delhi to hear their concerns.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded by withdrawing all notices and halting the mutation process, but the BJP has continued to use the issue in its campaign for the upcoming bypolls.

The controversy stems from a complex history of land ownership and Waqf property. While the BJP claims widespread land seizures by the Board, investigations reveal the situation is more nuanced. In the case of Honawad, the actual Waqf land amounts to a mere 14 acres out of over 1,100 acres. Additionally, the BJP’s claim that the Board issued notices in Urdu has been debunked, as the notices were issued by the Revenue Department in official language.

The issue has also been raised in Kerala, where Union Minister Suresh Gopi called it a “four-lettered monstrosity” without explicitly mentioning Waqf.

While the BJP insists this is a matter of farmers’ rights, many see it as an attempt to garner support for the Waqf Amendment Bill and undermine the Congress government.

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