Bengaluru, Nov 1 (IANS): A war of words broke out between Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Food, Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka Minister for Waqf and Tourism, Zameer Khan on Friday over the issue of Waqf Board notices to farmers.

Even as Joshi reiterated his demand for the ouster of Zameer Khan for allegedly pressurising authorities to mark farmers’ lands and other properties as belonging to the Waqf Board, the Karnataka Minister for Waqf hit back saying that from 2008 to 2013 and 2019 to 2023, during the tenure of BJP governments in the state, thousands of notices were given to farmers by the Waqf Board.

Speaking to reporters, Joshi stated in Hubballi on Friday, “I had demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sack Minister Zameer for misusing his name to pressurise authorities. No action has been taken and CM Siddaramaiah has not bothered to answer.”

“The ‘Waqf Adalats’ being conducted by Minister Zameer should be stopped immediately. I had urged CM Siddaramaiah to issue orders in this regard, there is no response,” he added.

Joshi further demanded that the entry in the land records where the ownership was given to the Waqf should be changed, unless otherwise.

Reacting to the Waqf row on Friday in Bengaluru, Zameer stated, “We won’t take any agricultural lands owned by farmers. If notices were issued to farmers, they will be taken back. The farmers or anyone’s property cannot be claimed just like that.”

Zameer added, “From 2008 to 2013 and 2019 to 2023, during the tenure of BJP governments in Karnataka, thousands of notices were given to farmers from the Waqf Board. The process of issuing notices to people from the Waqf Board has been there for a long time. This is not new.”

“The notices were issued when BJP leader C.T. Ravi was the minister. I am convening a press conference in this regard soon and will expose the BJP,” he stated.

The Waqf Board has not taken an inch of the government’s land and out of the total 1.12 lakh acres belonging to the Waqf Board in Karnataka, only 23 acres remain with it, Zameer said.

“We are rectifying that. About 800 acres of land of the Muzrai department, which manages temples and religious institutions has been encroached upon. The Muzrai Department has 30,000 acres of land,” he stated.