Waqf Row: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Orders Officials To Immediate Withdrawal Notices Issued To Farmers

Siddaramaiah urged the public to ignore any misleading information surrounding the matter and called on officials to approach the issue with sensitivity.

The controversy over eviction notices has sparked protests from farmers, including demonstrations by Honwad villagers in Vijayapura district.

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In a move to alleviate tensions among farmers, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed officials to promptly retract all notices related to Wakf land issues. This decision came after a high-level meeting that included senior officials from the Revenue Department, Minority Welfare Department, and the Wakf Board, highlighting the administration's commitment to protecting farmers' rights.

The Chief Minister expressed his dissatisfaction with recent actions by certain officials, suggesting that both the JD(S) and BJP were exploiting the Wakf issue for political purposes, potentially threatening the state's peace. Siddaramaiah urged the public to ignore any misleading information surrounding the matter and called on officials to approach the issue with sensitivity.

Key decisions from the meeting included that all notices sent to farmers concerning land records associated with Wakf properties are to be withdrawn without delay. The officials were instructed to ensure that farmers face no disturbances regarding lands they possess and any unauthorized alterations made to the land records (pahani) without proper notice or legal procedure must be immediately reversed.

The meeting was attended by notable officials, including Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Chief Secretary Rajendra Kataria, and Wakf Board CEO Jilani.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar asserted that the BJP was responsible for the issuance of these notices and the modification of the Records of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops (RTC) under the Wakf Act. "The BJP began issuing notices and changing revenue records under the Waqf Act. We will not allow any farmer to be evicted from their land. If any officer acts otherwise, we will take corrective action," Shivakumar told media, as per PTI, in Mangaluru.

The controversy over eviction notices has sparked protests from farmers, including demonstrations by Honwad villagers in Vijayapura district. In Kadkol village of Haveri district, there were reports of villagers resorting to violence in response to administrative orders aimed at reclaiming Wakf property held by local residents.