Karnataka: Waqf board shocks farmers as land entries in Yadgiri, Dharwad listed under ‘Waqf property’

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Oct 29, 2024, 10:18 AM IST

The Waqf property dispute has unsettled farmers in Karnataka’s Yadgiri and Dharwad districts, as land records now list ancestral farmlands as ‘Waqf property.’ This change, affecting compensation and government benefits, has prompted calls for government intervention to safeguard farmers' ownership rights.

In a development causing alarm among Karnataka farmers, the Waqf property dispute has extended to Yadgiri and Dharwad districts, following similar controversies in Vijayapura. Hundreds of farmers in these areas have been taken aback by the discovery that their land ownership documents, or Pahani, now include entries listing their lands as ‘Waqf property,’ sparking widespread frustration and anxiety.

The issue came to light when land records of approximately 1,440 farmers in Yadgiri, along with some farmers from Uppinabetageri village in Dharwad, were reviewed, revealing unexpected entries under the ownership column identifying the lands as belonging to "Waqf Board Bengaluru." Farmers claim these changes were made without their knowledge, blocking their access to essential government benefits, loans, and even compensation for land acquired for major projects.

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Dispute over land acquisition

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In Yadgiri, landowners affected by the Gadag-Wadi railway project, the Surat-Chennai National Highway, and the Kadechur-Badia Industrial Development project are facing delayed compensation due to the Waqf Board’s sudden claim. Despite the land acquisitions being carried out following comprehensive document verification, Waqf Board officials have reportedly written to special land acquisition officers and local banks, asserting ownership over these lands and disrupting the payment of compensation. Maddaraki, one of the affected farmers, criticized the Waqf Board’s actions as obstructive, questioning the validity of the claims.

"The railway department has acquired our lands and published our names in the notifications. Now, suddenly, they’re saying it’s Waqf property when it comes time to distribute compensation," expressed an aggrieved farmer. The Waqf Board’s intervention has halted compensation procedures across various projects, creating a significant roadblock for landowners who rely on these funds for their livelihoods.

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This incident is not isolated; a similar dispute arose in 2013, leading to a Civil Revision Petition (CRP No. 2018) being filed in the Karnataka High Court. The court had ruled that lands granted to farmers by the Land Justice Board did not belong to the Waqf Board, clearly defining ownership boundaries. Despite this ruling, the Waqf Board continues to claim certain lands awarded by the Land Tribunal, pushing farmers into further uncertainty and legal entanglements.

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In Dharwad, a similar pattern emerged, with five farmers in Uppinabetageri village discovering Waqf entries on their land records for the years 2021 to 2023. Villagers claim their properties, which have been in their families for generations, are suddenly marked as Waqf property. Notably, there was no such mention in earlier records from 2018 to 2019, heightening suspicions about recent changes to these records.

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"This is our ancestral land, and now it is listed as Waqf property without any reason," said a resident from Uppinabetageri, adding that farmers feel their lands are being seized unjustly under these revised records.

The sudden shift in land categorization has left hundreds of farmers in limbo, unable to sell or secure loans against their properties. Farmers argue that their lands are being misclassified as Waqf property, a move they believe could lead to further dispossession if not addressed. Local representatives and farmer associations call for government intervention to resolve the dispute and restore clarity to land records, ensuring that rightful ownership is respected.

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