NEW DELHI: Karnataka’s home minister, G Parameshwara, announced that all district deputy commissioners have been instructed to cease issuing eviction notices to farmers under the Waqf Act, treating revenue records as the final authority on land ownership.
“The chief minister has directed all deputy commissioners to withdraw any such notices or letters. The matter is now resolved, though we are uncertain about possible developments in the future,” Parameshwara said.
The dispute began after reports surfaced that the Waqf Board had claimed certain lands, alleging they were registered in its name 50 years ago. Parameshwara clarified that Waqf claims would only be valid if they align with revenue records, which will otherwise take precedence.
Deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar accused the BJP of previously altering Records of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops (RTC) under the Waqf Act. “The BJP began issuing notices and changing revenue records under the Waqf Act. We will not allow any farmer to be evicted from their land,” he said.
The controversy has sparked protests across Karnataka, with farmers in Vijayapura’s Honwad and Haveri’s Kadkol village staging demonstrations against alleged eviction orders. Villagers reportedly turned violent in Kadkol in response to efforts to reclaim Waqf property, reflecting the heightened tensions on the ground.