Reportedly Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman Jagdambika Pal’s meeting with farmers on thursday amid the karnataka Waqf land conflict row has now become a political flashpoint between the ruling congress and the Opposition BJP. While the farmers fear losing their livelihoods if properties are taken by Waqf without legal basis and have approached Pal seeking a resolution to the issue, the congress have called the BJP-organised event led by Bengaluru South mp Tejasvi surya political, coming right at the time when there are elections and bypolls being held in select states, including karnataka and Maharashtra.
Meanwhile Pal, who was accompanied by surya, received over 2,000 copies of petitions from the aggrieved farmers, who claimed that the Waqf Board was asserting ownership of various properties, including religious institutions. Pal visited Vijayapura and Hubballi at Surya’s request and heard grievances from farmers across Vijayapura, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Hubballi, Bagalkot, and Belagavi. Pal said “This is a grave concern". “It appears a drive is underway in karnataka to designate properties as Waqf, with mutations in land records occurring without notification. This cannot happen without administrative involvement and needs immediate scrutiny," Pal said, adding he was committed to presenting these grievances to the JPC, stating that a comprehensive report would be submitted during Parliament’s winter session.
Moreover surya, while speaking said, “The JPC chairman is well within his rights to visit and getting a sense of the ground reality. He is meeting people and aggrieved farmers on the ground and recording their statements as it should be done. They (Congress) can criticise all they want, we are doing what is right and best for the rights of our farmers."
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