Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai has urged current CM Siddaramaiah to initiate a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe based on the Anwar Manippady report, which claims that several Congress leaders encroached on Waqf properties. Bommai clarified that his call for action only involves recovering Waqf lands illegally occupied by Congress leaders, not farmland. He emphasized this distinction after state housing and minority affairs minister Zameer Ahmed Khan shared an old video, suggesting Bommai wanted Waqf authorities to seize farmers’ land.
The report by Anwar Manippady, the former chair of the Karnataka State Minority Commission, dates back to 2012 when the BJP was in power. It lists Congress leaders allegedly involved in unauthorized occupation of Waqf properties. Bommai also suggested that the government should prioritize reclaiming these properties from Congress leaders instead of focusing on notices to farmers.
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Recently, Siddaramaiah directed officials to retract notices issued to farmers about Waqf property concerns, stating that farmers’ lives should not be disrupted. This order followed a meeting with officials from departments overseeing revenue, minority welfare, and the Waqf Board. However, BJP leaders, including CN Ashwath Narayan and opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, questioned the timing and effectiveness of this order, calling it a move to win votes in the upcoming local elections.
Narayanaswamy argued that merely withdrawing the notices does not protect farmers long-term, as Waqf-related claims may still affect their lands. He also called for revoking the 1974 gazette that categorized certain lands as Waqf properties, asserting that it has caused concerns for farmers, monasteries, and temples. The BJP seeks to remove farmers’ names from disputed property records and to cancel the gazette entirely, which they believe was implemented for “minority appeasement” under Congress rule.
In response, Congress minister Priyank Kharge criticized the BJP’s actions as politically driven, noting that the controversy is being stirred up ahead of elections. He argued that the issue would lose significance after elections, accusing the BJP of using it as a tool for political gain.
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