Waqf Issue: Farmers queue up for land records verification in North Karnataka

Team Udayavani, Oct 29, 2024, 9:17 AM IST

Representative image (Source: Pexels)

Dharwad: Farmers in North Karnataka, already reeling from monsoon damages, now face a fresh worry as Waqf Board notices have caused widespread concern in districts like Vijayapura, Bagalkot, and Kalaburagi. Farmers are anxiously queuing up at Village One centers, Tehsildar offices, and registration offices to verify their land records, fearing that their lands may have been registered under the Waqf Board.

The tension began when over 124 farmers in Vijayapura district discovered Waqf Board entries in their land records. This revelation has led to a similar scramble in neighboring districts, with more than 40 farmers in Bidar already receiving official notices. Farmers are now concerned that their inherited lands, their primary asset, could be transferred to a different community.

How Farmers Can Address the Issue

Revenue Department officials have outlined three potential solutions for farmers affected by the Waqf entries.

First, if a farmer has documents proving ancestral ownership, they should submit them to the District Commissioner.

Second, if the farmer has previously contested Waqf claims in court and won, they should provide the case documents to the Revenue Department.

Lastly, the Waqf Board itself can declare that the land does not belong to them, submitting this official statement to authorities. Only through one of these measures can farmers be fully released from the Waqf Board claim.

Although only a few records contain Waqf Board entries, farmers are checking their records as a precaution. Many are paying Rs 15 per land record at local offices for verification.

Farmers’ Associations Prepare to Protest

Amidst a long list of existing challenges—erratic rains, crop losses, poor-quality seeds, and fluctuating prices—farmers are now burdened with the fear of losing their land. In response, farmers’ associations are planning protests, urging the government to address the issue swiftly.

Nagappa Undi, Vice President of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (Puttannayya faction), said, “We cannot remain silent if the Waqf Board causes trouble over old records. We have decided to hold a meeting in Chitradurga to organize a statewide protest if the government does not act.”

BJP Team to Visit Vijayapura

A BJP delegation will visit Vijayapura district on Tuesday to hear farmers’ grievances related to the Waqf land dispute.

Government Clarifies: “Farmers’ Land Will Not Go to Waqf”

In Bengaluru, government officials, including Ministers M.B. Patil, Krishna Byre Gowda, and Zamir Khan, clarified that no land belonging to farmers would be given to the Waqf Board. A special task force led by the Vijayapura District Commissioner has been formed to investigate and resolve the issue.