Waqf row: By filing FIRs K’taka govt wants to silence voices representing farmers, says BJP

Bengaluru, Nov 9
The BJP stated on Saturday that by filing FIRs the Karnataka government wants to silence voices representing farmers.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed on Saturday that, “The government led by CM Siddaramaiah and the Karnataka Congress, aiming to convert Karnataka's land into Waqf property, is targeting those who raise their voice for farmers by filing false complaints to intimidate them.”

“The Congress government to serve their agenda of divisive politics is twisting the statements issued by BJP National Youth Morcha President and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya to file an FIR against him. This move is anti-democratic and the hidden agenda of filing FIRs is to scare farmers,” he alleged.

“The Congress government has also used the incident to carry out politics of hatred,” Vijayendra professed.

He asserted that the BJP in Karnataka would under no circumstances be bogged down by false complaints and intimidation tactics.

“Our farmers, already burdened by debt, will be driven to an even more distressing state if they are forced to give up their land, their sole source of livelihood, to Waqf authorities,” he noted.

This government has not even thought through the severe mental trauma of farmers and the consequences this could have on them if a situation of taking away their land arises, he emphasised.

Until this government, which is using the Waqf issue to create unrest in the state, is removed, Karnataka will have no peace, the BJP leader underlined.

The Karnataka government filed an FIR against Tejasvi Surya for posting a message, based on a media report, on his social media handle alleging suicide by a farmer eight years ago after the Waqf Board issued a notice claiming ownership of his property.

The FIR was filed by the Cybercrime, Economic Offences, Narcotics (CEN) police in Haveri district of Karnataka.

The case has been booked under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita – 2023.

Reacting strongly to the FIR against Tejasvi Surya stated that the Karnataka government was ensuring the welfare of the Board and not the growers.