Kalaburagi (Karnataka) [India], October 31 (ANI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday afternoon criticised BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, claiming he has done nothing for Bengaluru. Kharge's remarks came in response to the BJP MP's accusations regarding Waqf Board land encroachment.
The Congress leader assured that the Karnataka government is committed to protecting farmers' properties.
Kharge told ANI, "...As usual, the BJP runs to its high command over every issue. They either appeal to the Governor or the Prime Minister. I'd like to ask the BJP MP: during their tenure, was the State Waqf department locked? Were they engaged in any anti-national activities as they now suggest? Do they have any understanding of how the law and procedure work?... They are simply playing politics with this issue."
Kharge further questioned the BJP's record on protecting temples during its previous government, stating that the Karnataka government is committed to safeguarding temples and common people's properties.
He asked, "During their tenure, how many temples involved in litigation did they protect? Did they achieve anything? In our government, we are safeguarding all temples and the properties of farmers and common people. What have they done?"
The Karnataka minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP of politicising the matter.
"Tejasvi Surya's intentions are clear," Kharge added. "He has never done anything for Bengaluru, and now he wants to 'help' the farmers of Vijayapura. I believe this was his first visit there. It's all politics for them..."
On Thursday, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya accused the Waqf Board of encroaching on thousands of acres of farmers' land with the Karnataka government's support.
Speaking to ANI, Surya said, "There have been multiple press conferences and videos where the Minister himself has admitted that these Waqf adalats are conducted under the Chief Minister's instructions. This is a grave issue, as thousands of acres of farmers' lands are being encroached upon by the Waqf Board with active support and collusion from the State Government."
He added that, recently, farmers from various Karnataka districts reported abrupt transfers of land ownership to the Waqf Board without prior notice.
"Over the past few days, farmers from many Karnataka districts have raised alarms that, without any notice from revenue authorities or due legal process, changes have been made to their land records, RTCs, mutation registers, and other documents. In many cases, ownership has been suddenly transferred to the Waqf Board, causing widespread panic among thousands of farmers across the state," he told ANI.
Surya also noted that he had raised this issue with the Chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee currently working on amendments to the Waqf Act, through a formal letter.
"As a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee amending the Waqf Act, it's my duty to bring this matter to the Chairperson's attention. I have done so through a formal letter and a direct conversation, requesting a visit to Karnataka to assess the gravity and scope of the issue. This will help the committee understand how the current law is being misused, enabling us to propose effective amendments to the Waqf Act," he said.
The Chairperson has assured him of a visit to Karnataka in the coming days to meet with affected farmers, he added. (ANI)
