Waqf board row: Karnataka CM directs officials to withdraw notices issued to farmers immediately

Earlier, the Chief Minister said that the opposition parties have been using the issue to gain political mileage in the by-polls in three constituencies in Karnataka, and in the legislative Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

With the opposition BJP and farmers expected to hold a State-wide protest on November 4, opposing the classification of agriculture land as Waqf Board properties in land records in several districts, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah instructed officials of the Revenue Department to immediately withdraw the notices served to farmers.

He also told officials not to evict farmers from their land, which they have been cultivating over the years.

For the last few days, the Revenue Department officials in various districts have been issuing notices to farmers stating that their land was classified as Waqf Board property in land records.

The Chief Minister directed officials not to cause any problem to farmers in the coming days.

On November 2, Mr Siddaramaiah held a meeting with Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil and other senior Minority Department and Waqf Board officials where he expressed his disappointment in the developments of the recent past.

The Chief Minister expressed his dismay at officials who had taken a decision on issuing notices to farmers.

The Wakf Board has been laying claim on the ownership of land being cultivated by farmers over several decades. Revenue Department officials had issued notices to farmers in Vijayapura, Dharwad, Haveri, Chitradurga, Davangere, Shivamogga, Gadag and other districts.