Bengaluru, March 18 Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Wednesday that a legal opinion would be sought on whether any property can be declared as Waqf, based solely on the gazette notification.
He also said that he would issue a joint circular to list those Waqf properties without original grant documents and which have been categorized as Waqf only based on the gazette notification.
The Minister also clarified that the government has already issued a direction that no government office, temples, burial grounds, schools or properties belonging to any community should be transferred to Waqf.
Gowda was replying to BJP MLC P H Pujar’s question in the Legislative Council, who had stated that people are facing hardship as many properties have been declared as Waqf.
The Minister said, “Despite clear directions from the Supreme Court and High Court, if properties have been declared as Waqf based only on gazette notifications, I will seek legal opinion from the Law Department and the Advocate General. Based on their opinion, we will take further decisions.”
“Additionally, I will issue a joint circular with the Waqf authorities and instruct all Deputy Commissioners to re-verify such cases. If any property has been declared as Waqf without original grant documents and only based on the gazette notification, it must be listed. After obtaining a legal opinion, we will take further steps,” he clarified.
Pujar alleged that there was a large network behind the encroachment of government land, farmers’ land, and especially land belonging to poor Muslim families.
The BJP MLC charged that lands meant for public use, such as burial grounds, grazing land (gairan), village common land, and even forest land have been unilaterally declared as Waqf property.
Pujar claimed that in Bagalkote district forest land, and in Naganur village, 200 acres of grazing land has been taken over by declaring it as Waqf.
“Farmers are going to banks for loans, but they are being told the land is Waqf property and cannot be mortgaged. How long should they suffer? Why should they go to court? What mistake has the farmer made? The government must intervene,” the MLC said.