Notice to farmers over waqf land: BJP is spreading misinformation, says MB Patil

Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil on Tuesday accused the BJP of promoting a “fake Hindu love” stance through misinformation, as he claimed that notices were served to farmers in Vijayapura district by the Waqf Board between 2019 and 2022, when the saffron party was in power.

Posting the copies of notices issued during the BJP rule on ‘X’, Patil criticised the party for engaging in “divisive politics,” rather than focusing on the state’s development during its tenure.

There are allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties.

“They (BJP) misled the people with issues like ‘hijab’, ‘halal’, and ‘Urigowda-Nanjegowda’ while they were in power, and now they are continuing the same tactics. Their attempts to deceive the public with fabricated narratives will not work anymore,” the Minister said.

Noting that the BJP has reconstituted its fact-finding committee on the Waqf issue, that was initially set up by party president B Y Vijayendra, after facing backlash from its own leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, M B Patil said that the addition of Yatnal and MP Ramesh Jigajinagi to the panel appears tokenistic, indicating internal struggles within the party.

He further challenged the BJP to clarify why notices were issued to farmers during its government.

Earlier in the day, Vijayendra, speaking to reporters, hit out at the ruling Congress for accusing the BJP of doing politics.

“Farmers’ ancestral land was all of a sudden claimed as Waqf property, farmers will come on the streets, what should they do….the Congress is indulging in appeasing minorities and thereby dividing the country in the name of the religion, they have been doing it for long. They are trying to incite fire in the state under the leadership of Zameer Ahemed Khan (Waqf Minister),” he said.

Vijayendra claimed that the Minister himself has accepted that notices were issued to 120 farmers.

“If the BJP had not taken this issue seriously, the farmers would have come to the streets. After we raised the issue they formed the task force and asked farmers to approach the Deputy Commissioner,” he said.

The BJP state chief said a team formed by the party under the leadership of former Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol has reached Vijayapura district.

“They will visit all the taluks of the district, meet farmers, and instill confidence in them. When the attempts are on to put farmers in trouble, BJP is with farmers and will provide them all necessary help, including legal assistance. We will strongly stand with them,” he added.