Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Joint Parliamentary Committee Chairperson on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 Jagadambika Pal to instruct the State's Chief Secretary to immediately stop all land registrations to Waqf Board until the proceedings of the JPC are complete.

In a letter addressed to them, the senior BJP leader claimed that "hasty attempts" are being made to register lands claimed by the Waqf Board perhaps in anticipation of the amendment that the JPC could bring to the Waqf Act.

"As part of this pre-emptive attempt, the state government and Waqf board have reportedly begun altering revenue records, transferring ownership of farmers' lands to the Waqf. This hurried whitewashing and registering of unjust claims of land to Waqf Boards will deprive thousands of farmers and poor people of Karnataka of their just and ancestral property rights," Ashoka said.

According to him, the issue came to light after notices were served to hundreds of farmers claiming about 15,000 acres of land in Vijayapura district; it is alleged that across each district of Karnataka, approximately 10,000 acres of land are reportedly being claimed by the Waqf Board in this "clandestine manner." "Additionally, the Waqf board is also claiming lands belonging to temples, mutts and other religious organisations. It is shocking that even graveyards belonging to Hindu community are being claimed as Waqf properties. The 13th century Virakta Mutt's 1.28 acres land in Sindagi, the historical Someshwara temple in Vijayapura, the Beeradevara temple in Kalaburagi and several other temples across Karnataka are reportedly being claimed by the Waqf board," he alleged.

Ashoka, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also claimed that these hasty attempts to register properties claimed by Waqf board has created insecurity and panic among people and has erupted in violence in Haveri district.

"In the light of these incidents, I urge you to instruct the Chief Secretary of Government of Karnataka to immediately stop all land registrations to Waqf Board until the proceedings of the JPC are complete," he added in the letter.

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