New kind of 'Jihad' in Karnataka through Waqf Board, alleges Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Ballari, Karnataka: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday alleged that a new kind of "Jihad" is taking place across Karnataka with the Waqf Board claiming ownership of lands belonging to farmers, temples and others.

Hitting out at the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said the ruling party has reached "height of appeasement politics," and alleged that it has in a way made appeasement of minorities its "goal."

"Across the state a new kind of 'Jihad' is happening through Waqf. Looking at the conduct of the Congress party and Siddaramaiah, they come across as hypocrites...," Joshi told reporters here.

Congress leaders are claiming that BJP had promised in its manifesto that it will protect the Waqf properties, he said. "Yes. We had said. It is on record...what we have said is existing Waqf properties that have been encroached upon and looted by senior Congress leaders will be saved." "They (Congress leaders) have taken illegal gratification worth thousands of crores (of rupees) from these lands, in the form of lease and rent," Joshi alleged.

The Anwar Manippady report says that Waqf properties have been misused by very senior Congress leaders, Joshi said. "We had said that we will protect those lands. What are you (Congress govt) doing now? lands of Mutts and temples are being claimed by Waqf. I'm asking Siddaramaiah, what are you trying to do?"

"This is a big conspiracy. For the Congress party, the state and country don't matter. They have a soft corner for terrorists...what is happening? What has happened to the Congress party, have they lost their mind?," he asked.

Manippady, as the then chairman of the Karnataka State Minority Commission, had prepared the report and submitted it to the government in March 2012 when the BJP was in power. It was later tabled in the legislature.

"What is now happening (now) is, using Waqf, lands belonging to farmers, individuals, temples, Mutts, and in some cases entire villages, are being claimed," Joshi alleged.

There were allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties. Similar charges have surfaced from a few other places subsequently, and also by some organisations and religious institutions like Mutts.

With the row escalating, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, directed officials that all notices issued to farmers be immediately revoked, and any unauthorised amendments in land records without due notice must also be nullified.

Joshi also claimed that the Congress government in the state is now preparing to withdraw cases booked in KG Halli and DJ halli riots cases, in which a Congress Dalit MLA's house was burned. "I have credible information that they are withdrawing those cases also."

He pointed out that in spite of the ban on Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the court upholding it, 125 cases against them were withdrawn by the Congress government earlier. Also, criminal cases filed in Hubballi riot incidents involving a mob attack on the police in 2022, including those booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), were withdrawn recently.

Joshi expressed confidence about NDA winning all the three Assembly seats that are going for by-polls in the state on November 13.

He said in the coming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, NDA's win will "surpass" its victory in the recent Haryana poll.