Siddaramaiah orders withdrawal of Waqf notices to farmers

Karnataka Chief minister Siddaramaiah has ordered revenue department officials to immediately withdraw notices issued to farmers concerning Waqf land claims. According to a statement of the chief minister's office on Saturday said, "The CM has issued a strict directive for the immediate retraction of all notices sent to farmers about Waqf land, emphasising that no disruption should be caused to them.” Siddaramaiah has urged the public to ignore any misinformation and directed officials to handle the matter with sensitivity.The CM further directed that any unauthorised changes made to land records (Pahani or RTC) without prior notice or legal procedures should be immediately nullified.
The order came days after protests, that began in Vijayapura and soon spread to Dharwad and Kalaburagi, over notices that asked farmers to submit land records to prove ownership or ownership would be transferred to the Waqf Board.Addressing reporters after the meeting, home minister G Parameshwar said, “Chief minister Siddaramaiah has issued a clear directive to deputy commissioners stating that no notices should be issued to farmers regarding any Waqf Board property. Any notices that have already been given should be immediately withdrawn.” " I assure you, the government will not take any adverse action on farmers,” he added.The CM expressed strong dissatisfaction over recent actions taken by certain officials and highlighted that the JD(S) and BJP were allegedly using the Waqf issue for political gain, potentially disturbing peace in the state.
The BJP, however, called it “appeasement politics”. BJP spokesperson M Karunakar said. “The governments only aim is to strengthen Waqf board by snatching lands of Hindus, everyone knows that 90% of the lands of farmers are ancestral, how can Waqf claim ownership,” he asked. Karnataka Legislative Council LoP Chalavadi Narayanaswamy reacted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's orders of immediate withdrawal of waqf notice to farmers,saying that it is just an "eyewash" to win the local elections. Speaking to ANI, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, "Now, you've given the order to withdraw the notices. But still, in the gazette, it is only Waqf's property. So this is not a solution at all. I will immediately request CM Siddaramaiah to withdraw the 1974 gazette. Otherwise, it is just an eyewash to win the local elections. This will not bring any relief to the farmers."

( State Correspondent)