Kalaburagi witnessed a significant protest on Thursday as seers, farmers, and BJP workers united against alleged encroachments by the Waqf Board. The protests, which have spread across Karnataka, are part of a state-wide agitation organised by the BJP under the banner ‘Namma Bhoomi, Namma Hakku’ (Our Land, Our Right).
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, expressed strong criticism of the Congress-led government. "All over Karnataka our leaders are holding state-wide protest for three days (on November 21, 22, 23) over the removal of Waqf Board from government records. Waqf Board should be removed from the government records because they are capturing all the farmer's land. It is a wrong move," he said.
"You can see the situation, farmers lands' are being snatched...today this protest is being held in Kalaburagi...we are protesting against Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and Congress govt," he said.
Earlier, former Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan announced that protests would be conducted in front of Deputy Commissioner and Tahsildar offices statewide. Applications from affected individuals are being collected, and five-member teams comprising farmers, lawyers, and representatives have been established in each district to document grievances.
Ashwath Narayan also revealed plans for a protest at Bengaluru's Freedom Park and a massive gathering in Belagavi before the Assembly session. He accused the Congress government of appeasement politics, alleging swift land acquisitions belonging to farmers, temples, monasteries, and schools under Waqf authority in anticipation of a new Waqf law, as per a report on The News Minute.
The BJP also claimed that the protests have pressured the Congress government that the notice issued concerning Waqf matters has been withdrawn.