Communal Violence Erupts Over Waqf Property Row in Karnataka’s Haveri District.

Hindu retaliation  erupts in a Karnataka village over fear of the Waqf Board taking property.

B Upendran | HENB | Bengaluru | Nov 1, 2024:: Around 200 police personnel and four KSRP platoons have been rushed to Kadakol when tension erupted in Kadakol village, Haveri district. After fearing Waqf Board’s takeover of their properties, Hindu villagers attacked Muslim’s buildings, injuring five. Police restored peace, detained 32 for investigation. Karnataka Waqf minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan blamed BJP for misleading farmers as verification of Waqf property claims is underway. BJP vehemently protested the Karanataka Govt’s conspiracy to grab the lands of Hindu farmers with the tool of draconian Waqf provisions.

Tensions flared up in Kadakol village, Karnataka’s Haveri district, on Wednesday night, due to a government notice about the Waqf Board claiming ownership of homes sparked violence. Fearing loss of property, Hindu villagers, mainly of farmer folks, targeted Muslim community, damaging their homes, property, and a motorcycle, and injuring five people. The situation escalated, leaving one person critically injured and hospitalized in stable condition at KIMS Hospital in Hubballi.

The alleged Waqf notice was served to the local authorities by the Karnataka State Waqf Board headed by Waqf minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan with a malafide intention to grab Hindu farmers’ land imposing the draconian Waqf Act.

The police swiftly intervened, restoring order and preventing further clashes. Thankfully, no additional incidents have been reported from Kadakol, a village in Savanur taluk. This disturbing event highlights the sensitivity surrounding land ownership and the potential for misinformation to fuel conflict.

To manage the crowd and restore law and order in Kadakol village, District Superintendent of Police Anshu Kumar deployed approximately 200 police officers, including four platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP).

The trouble started with rumours that most properties around a shrine in the village have been marked as Waqf assets, and they would soon be acquired.

However, deputy commissioner Vijay Mahantesh clarified that they have directed assistant commissioners and tahsildars to “verify all property documents listed by the District Waqf Board and send a report to the office. This means not all these belong to Waqf Board.”

Haveri MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai urged state govt to immediately withdraw notices issued to farmers and “remove Waqf asset classification from land records”.

In a related development, Haveri District Waqf Board has claimed ownership of Haveri District Court premises, which sits on a 20-acre land, and 19-acre Hindu burial ground in Tadas village of Shiggaon taluk in the district.

All such attempts of Hindu land grabbing by the Karnataka Waqf Board under the leadership of Karnataka Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan are gradually infuriating the Hindu villagers out of an apprehension that Waqf can claim everything at any moment.

Recently, the Waqf Board has been accused of illegal transfer of funds, with the former CEO, Zulfiqarulla, alleged to have misappropriated ₹4 crore. This development has added to the growing concerns about the Board’s activities.

Police say that the situation in Kadakol- Haveri is under control.

Updates from Business Today (Nov 2, 2024):: ‘No disruption should be caused’ says Siddaramaiah. Orders immediate withdrawal of notices to farmers over Waqf land dispute. 

Updates from Economic Times (Nov 3, 2024):: Karnataka Legislative Council LoP calls Siddaramaiah’s withdrawal of Waqf orders “an eyewash to win local elections”.

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__Inputs from TOI, News9 Live and CNN-News18.