Minister MB Patil speaking to reporters in Vijayapura on Friday. | Photo credit: Rajendra Singh Hajeri

“The BJP is trying to turn Vijayapura district into a Hindutva laboratory and divide people on religious lines. But his plans will not succeed as it is a land of communal harmony,” Minister MB Patil said in Vijayapura on Friday.

“The BJP is using the waqf issue to create divisions between communities and spread hatred. This will not succeed, as the people can see through the conspiracy,” he told reporters.

“The BJP is trying to portray the Congress as an anti-Hindu party by saying that we support the Waqf Board in getting back its land. This is not true as the Waqf Board is a statutory body which regularly issues notices to remove encroachments on its land. During its tenure, the BJP took several steps in favor of the Waqf Board, including issuing notices and amending the Register of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC),” he said. -he declared.

Releasing a list of documents to back up his claims, he said the Congress would also release a pamphlet containing the activities of the BJP’s pro-Waqf board.

The BJP, in power at the Center since 2014 and also in the state intermittently, is very concerned about the protection of waqf properties. Its leaders and ministers have made several declarations and taken steps in this direction. When the BJP was in power in the state, it allowed the Waqf Board to take over the properties of farmers, places of worship and people of all religions, he said. “He is currently waging a false propaganda campaign against us at the state and national level,” he added.

He claimed that the BJP government had moved in favor of Waqf Board lands belonging to many farmers in 2023, citing examples.

The then Revenue Minister issued circulars in 2010 regarding updating of waqf documents. The chief secretary issued a circular in 2010 to remove all encroachments on waqf land by individuals, government agencies and companies. The Kalaburagi regional commissioner issued orders in 2011 on protection of waqf properties and regularization of records, the minister pointed out, to show that removal of encroachments is a continuous process.

The principal secretary for minority welfare issued orders in 2011 requiring compulsory deposit of compensation against acquisition of waqf land in the board’s account. In 2020, the Joint Secretary (Department of Land Grants, Land Reform and Revenue) issued orders to report wakf properties on the Bhoomi portal. In 2021, the BJP government set up district-level task forces to protect waqf properties.

In 2021, the BJP government issued orders to flag and lock waqf properties on Gramthana land in Panchatantra and e-Swattu.

In 2014, the BJP’s election platform proposed, in consultation with religious leaders, to empower the Waqf Board and clarify encroachments.

In 2019, MP Shobha Karandlaje asked a question in Parliament seeking information on measures taken to preserve waqf ownership, such as geo-tagging and digitalization, rental conditions, financial assistance to state councils of Waqf and video conferencing facilities, Mr. Patil said, citing these examples.

In Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered withdrawal of all notifications when the BJP started making false claims about waqf assets, he said.

“Even after all this, the BJP is spreading false information among farmers, religious leaders and the public for political and publicity purposes. Didn’t they follow an anti-Hindu policy when they were in power? Why are they now claiming that the BJP is the only pro-Hindus party? he asked.

He said the BJP had politicized religious institutions. The BJP has dragged into the anti-waqf agitation innocent people of various mathematics who have no clear idea of ​​the party’s double standards, he added.

“But then we will take steps to convince them of the hypocrisy of the BJP. Sri Adrushya Kadasiddeshwar Swami of Kaneri Math, who addressed the rally in Vijayapura, will turn against the BJP. This is because we are true Hindus, but the BJP has fake Hindu leaders who are running false propaganda for political gains,” Mr. Patil alleged.