Bengaluru
R Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition, has accused the Congress government and the Waqf Board of initiating a “Land Jihad” aimed at seizing land from poor farmers. He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to address this issue immediately.
Ashoka claimed that since the Congress took power, Karnataka has been treated as if it belongs to a single community, with Hindu citizens facing increasing attacks due to the government’s appeasement policies. He noted that Hindus are restricted from celebrating Ganesha and cannot express their sentiments by saying “Jai Shriram.” According to Ashoka, the Waqf Board is planning to acquire approximately 12,000 acres in Honwada village and an additional 15,000 acres throughout Vijayapura district. He pointed out that 139 farmers have already received notices from the revenue department regarding this matter, which he labeled as a blatant act of land jihad by the government.
Furthermore, the State Waqf Board has opposed a proposed amendment to the Waqf Act by the central government, asserting its autonomy and refusal to comply with requests for information. Minister Zameer Ahmed stated that they do not intend to share details, while Ashoka expressed his concern that the central government’s intentions are to seize as much land in Karnataka as possible before any changes are made.
