BJP National Youth President and Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya on Saturday made strong remarks against the Congress government in Karnataka, warning voters about possible impacts on Hindu religious sites if Congress remains in power.
“If people vote for the Congress party, all our temples, homes, and religious centres will end up with Muslims. Places like Dharmasthala and Sringeri will no longer exist,” Surya said at a media gathering in Bengaluru.
He raised concerns that large portions of farmers’ lands are being claimed as Waqf property. “The Waqf board has already claimed over 50,000 acres of land in Karnataka, and no one knows when they might take more,” he stated. Surya said he had discussed this issue with the Chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), who is expected to visit Karnataka on November 6 and 7 to collect petitions from farmers.
Surya also criticized the Congress government, saying that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan were conducting “Waqf Adalats” (hearings) to settle land disputes. “Under what law is this Waqf Adalat being conducted? The Congress party invented this unconstitutional adalat. Until they stop it, the BJP will keep protesting,” he said.
Highlighting the role of the Waqf board, Surya alleged that it has been empowered more by Congress whenever there’s an election. “We’re not asking to ban the Waqf or take their land. We only want them to stick to lands that legally belong to them and not encroach on others’ land,” he said.
The central government has set up a JPC to consider changes to the Waqf Act, and Surya mentioned that countries like Egypt and Singapore have restricted Waqf operations. “Our goal is clear: let the Waqf board keep what’s theirs and not claim land that isn’t,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed officials to retract notices sent to farmers regarding Waqf land issues. In a high-level meeting, he instructed officials to ensure farmers do not face difficulties over these disputes.
