Waqf notices sent to Vijayapura farmers during BJP term, says Karnataka minister

Amid the ongoing controversy in Karnataka regarding alleged land grabs by the state Waqf Board in Vijayapura, Congress Minister MB Patil claimed that the notices served to were issued during the BJP’s governance from 2019 to 2022.
The Congress Minister shared on X the copies of the Waqf notices, emphasising his statement that farmers were targeted under the BJP’s term.
Patil accused the BJP of promoting a “fake pro-Hindutva” stance through misinformation. He slammed the opposition party for leveraging communal narratives and divisive politics, deflecting from core development issues during its tenure in power.
He then challenged the BJP to clarify why notices were issued to farmers during its governance. Patil further argued that while the BJP had pointed fingers at the Congress, no farmers in Vijayapura have received Waqf-related land claims under the current Congress administration.
“They misled the people with issues like hijab, halal, and Uri Gowda-Nanjegowda while they were in power, and now they are continuing the same tactics. Their attempts to deceive the public with fabricated narratives will not work anymore,” he said.
Further, Patil questioned why the BJP has restructured its fact-finding committee on the Waqf issue, initially set up by party president BY Vijayendra. He said that it was after facing backlash from its own leaders like Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, for not adding him in the fact-finding panel.
Patil pointed out that the addition of Yatnal and MP Ramesh Jigajinagi to the committee was a token gesture and indicated internal struggles within the party.
He urged the BJP to clarify why these notices were served under its rule and to address its own internal disputes rather than stoking communal issues in the state.