Waqf property row: JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal meets farmers in Huballi, Congress lashes out

HUBBALLI: The chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill, Jagdambika Pal, on Thursday morning arrived in Hubballi amid the ongoing Waqf row and said that farmers in north Karnataka are saying that the Waqf board was claiming land that belonged to them. The JPC has been formed to review the Waqf Amendment Bill introduced this year in the Parliament.

The farmers say that they have been here for almost 70 years, but despite that, the Waqf board is claiming ownership of their land, Pal added.

“You have seen now that the farmers from north Karnataka are the airport and they have handed over a memorandum which says that the (Waqf) board was claiming a piece of land that belonged to them. I have enquired whether they have the deed (for the land) or (proof of) ownership of the land. They (the farmers) are claiming that they have been here for more than 50-70 years but even then the board is claiming (their land). I will look into it”, Pal said.

The JPC Chairman said that he was visiting Hubballi to meet the farmers to enquire about the situation and submit a fact-finding report.

“As a chairman of Waqf board JPC, I came to Hubballi to meet farmers. They are saying that despite being the bona fide owner of the land, the (Waqf) board is claiming ownership. I was told by Tejasvi Surya to visit the Hubballi and Bijapur area to enquire about the situation. Waqf board is also claiming places that have historical monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). We will enquire and prepare a report. We have come here for fact-finding. We will also meet various other farmers’ organisations from Hubballi and Vijayapura”, he said.

Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, reacing to the JPC chairman’s visit in Hubballi, said, “This is all a political drama. Land is a state subject. The BJP themselves started this in 2019, they too had given notices. Even in Dharwad, they gave notices. It is the continuation of that. But my government is committed, we will not change any record. We will not rectify it. We don’t want to affect any farmers. This has all been started by BJP. They are trying to put the blame on us. The JPC doesn’t have any powers to enter, they might have come for their political purposes”.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Mohammad Jawed on Thursday lashed out at the JPC chairman, accusing him of not working in the interest of Parliamentary democracy by taking a “unilateral” decision to visit Karnataka to meet the farmers. He said that the entire JPC team should pay a visit there.

“The entire JPC team should go there. Who gave him (JPC Chairman Pal) this authority? This is unfortunate. It is not appropriate to take this unilateral and political decision, especially when the Karnataka Government has made it clear that the land will remain with them. It is not appropriate to make it a political issue. JPC Chairman’s action is not in the interest of parliamentary democracy,” said Jawed while speaking to ANI.

Industries Minister M B Patil on Wednesday stated that the BJP is engaging in “political drama” amid the ongoing row over Waqf properties. “What I have come to know is that the chairman of the JPC committee is visiting Vijayapura. Let him come. The deputy commissioner will provide all the necessary information. The BJP is merely attempting to stage a political drama”, Patil said. (ANI)