'Visit Vijayapura, invite farmers as witness': Tejasvi Surya to Waqf Bill JPC chief as body claims 1,500 acres of lands

BJP's Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday wrote to Waqf Bill JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal, asking him to visit Vijayapura district where the Muslim body has claimed ownership of 1500 acres of farmers' lands. 

Surya said he met a delegation of farmers from the Vijayapura district, who have cultivated their lands for nearly a century and maintain records dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. 

"In recent months, however, many of them have been served notices declaring their lands as Waqf property, without any accompanying evidence or explanation," he said in the letter. 

The BJP MP said the scale of these claims is substantial, with nearly 1,500 acres being designated as Waqf property in their village alone. "The farmers claim that apart from being served notices, changes have been made in the RTC, pahani and mutation registers for some of the land parcels without following the due process of law."

"I, therefore, request that you invite the delegation of affected farmers to appear as witnesses before the Committee. Their testimony will provide valuable insights into the local implications of the proposed amendments and the pressing issues faced by the farming community in this regard," he said. 

Surya requested the Waqf Bill Chairman to visit the affected regions in Karnataka to receive complaints and grievances and have a public hearing with the farmers adversely impacted by the Waqf Board's actions. 

Earlier this month, a section of farmers from Vijayapura district alleged that their lands were marked as Waqf properties. They were asked to vacate their land. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Sidddaramaiah on Tuesday said none of them will be evicted, and notices issued to them will be withdrawn. "No farmer will be evicted from their land. Revenue Minister (Krishna Byre Gowda), M B Patil (Industries and Vijayapura district in-charge Minister) and Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan have jointly said that no farmer from Vijayapura will be evicted from their land," Siddaramaiah said. 

Responding to a question that similar notices have been issued to farmers in Yadgir and Dharwad districts too, the chief minister said: "I will ask the Revenue Minister to look into it, nowhere farmers will be evicted."