Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries MB Patil assured the public on Saturday that no farmer-owned land in Vijayapura district would be designated as Waqf property, attributing recent confusion to a documentation error in the official gazette.
Addressing a press conference, Patil explained that out of 1,200 acres in Honavada, Tikota taluk, only 11 acres are classified as Waqf property. This includes a 10-acre burial ground and 14 guntas, with an Idgah, Masjid, and other structures occupying 24 guntas. The remaining land, he clarified, belongs to farmers, as confirmed by the local Tahsildar and District Commissioner.
Patil noted that earlier gazette notifications on Waqf properties were issued in 1974, 1978, and 2016. A mistake occurred when “Honavada” was incorrectly listed alongside Mahalbagayata, an area where Waqf properties exist. He assured that this error was corrected in 1977, with Honavada being removed from the official records.
“When farmers raised concerns, I held a meeting on October 19 with district officials and instructed them to resolve the matter,” Patil said. He urged political leaders, including BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Basana Gowda Yatnal, not to politicize the issue, emphasizing that no private or farmer-owned land would be converted into Waqf property.
Patil promised continued oversight, adding that only properties meeting Waqf criteria will be recognized as such moving forward. He assured farmers they need not worry and pledged to meet officials again to prevent future errors.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya criticized the Waqf Board’s recent actions, alleging that the board had begun claiming over 15,000 acres across the district. Surya claimed that Congress Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan instructed officials to register land for the Waqf Board without notice, bypassing farmers’ rights.
Surya also vowed that the Modi government would address these issues during the upcoming winter session of Parliament, pledging to revoke the Waqf Board’s alleged encroachment powers. “If any farmer is facing such unjust claims, my office is open 24/7,” Surya said, promising legal support to affected landowners.
With tensions simmering, Patil’s clarification aims to reassure the public, emphasizing that the error has been addressed and that farmers’ land will remain untouched.
