Govt doesn’t want farmers’ land, will withdraw notices: K’taka Law Minister on Waqf row

Bengaluru, Oct 28 (IANS) Amid a raging controversy, the Karnataka government on Monday said it would take back the notices issued to the farmers allegedly by the Tehsildars, notifying that their lands belong to the Waqf Board.Speaking to the media at the Vidhana Soudha on Monday in Bengaluru, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, H.K. Patil made the announcement, saying, “We will withdraw the notices issued to farmers in this regard.”“The Congress government does not have any intention of taking away the farmers’ lands. The BJP is pursuing politics in the matter unnecessarily. It is incorrect to carry out politics over the issue,” Patil stated.“If notices were given to farmers, we will take them back. The government will withdraw the notices. The tehsildar of the region has committed a mistake and hence we will take back the notices,” Patil said.When asked about demands for the resignation of Minister for Waqf, Zameer Ahmed Khan, he stated, “Why should Zameer tender his resignation? The mistake in this regard has been made by the Tehsildar. If the Tehsildar had served the notices, the Deputy Commissioner will look into it.”He further continued, “Above all, the government will take a decision and why should Minister Zameer Khan resign? Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil has clarified the matter and stated that there is no confusion regarding the issuing of notices.”The Karnataka BJP on Monday alleged that the Congress government was carrying out ‘land jihad’ in the state through the Waqf Board.Speaking to the media, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka said through the Waqf Board, the Congress government is executing ‘land jihad’ by attempting to seize 15,000 acres of farmland belonging to farmers in Vijayapura district.“Despite the conspiracy to take away 15,000 acres of land from farmers in Vijayapura district, neither Chief Minister Siddaramaiah nor Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has bothered to address the issue and spoken in support of the farmers, let alone given any assurances,” Ashoka had said.–IANSmka/rad