JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal to visit Karnataka on November 7 over Waqf land controversy

NEW DELHI: After a controversy erupted over the Waqf land issue in Karnataka, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for Waqf Amendment Bill and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal has said that he will visit and conduct a meeting with the farmers, whose land has been declared as ‘Waqf property’ in Hubballi district on November 7.

Reacting to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to recall all notices related to Waqf land issues, Pal said that by taking this step, he himself admitted that these notices were issued ‘mistakenly’ by the government. Speaking on his visit, he conveyed that he is going to Karnataka on November 7 to monitor the issue.

“By taking this step, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has admitted that Waqf notices were wrongly issued on farmers’ land… I am going to Karnataka on November 7 and will see how the state government can issue notices on such a large scale….” Pal said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that Waqf’s name was added to land records for 44 properties across Indi and Chadachan taluks in Vijayapura district without proper notice, following a meeting between Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and district officials. Many farmers, unaware of the sudden Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) mutations, have expressed concern over losing ancestral land.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said last Monday that he has told the officials not to issue any notices to farmers and to withdraw the already issued notices also. Addressing a public gathering, CM Siddaramaiah said, “The previous BJP government had also issued notices to those illegally occupying Waqf properties. Now I have told my officials not to issue any notices to farmers. I have instructed officials to withdraw the notices already issued to farmers”.

Meanwhile, Jagdambika Pal also reacted to the party’s manifesto in Jharkhand that promises to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and said that the BJP fulfils its promises and if Amit Shah has announced to implement UCC, then it will be implemented to “protect the interests of the tribal people”. He further accused Hemant Soren’s government for “depriving” tribal population of their rights.

Speaking on the issue, Pal said, “What is identity of Jharkhand? Jharkhand is a tribal-dominated state… Today a very large number of Bangladeshi infiltrators are coming to Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam. The tribal population is being deprived of their rights under the rule of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. The BJP fulfils all the promises made in its manifesto, whether it is about loan waiver or providing houses in Uttar Pradesh. If Amit Shah has said that UCC would be implemented, then it would be. We will protect the interests of the tribal people”.

“Today, BJP gets elected in the country because it works on the resolution of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwaas’…. Why has the Congress party not been able to provide a basic house to the common man even after being in power for so many years?…” he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday released the BJP’s Sankalp Patra (Manifesto) and announced the party will implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Jharkhand and will also “drive out infiltrators” coming from Bangladesh.

Outlining the 25 resolutions to mark 25 years of the state’s formation, Shah said, “Hemant Babu, a Uniform Civil Code will certainly be implemented in Jharkhand, but the identity and heritage of the tribal communities will be fully preserved”. “Uniform Civil Code will be introduced in Jharkhand but the Tribal community will be kept out of the ambit of UCC”. he said.

The BJP also promised that all lands occupied by the infiltrators will be returned to the tribal communities.”BJP government is being formed in Jharkhand and we will drive out these infiltrators. We will bring the law and return the land taken away from women. Hemant Soren, you have failed to provide security to the women of Jharkhand,” he added.

Elections for 81 seats in the Jharkhand Assembly will be conducted in two phases on November 13 and November 20, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23. (ANI)