The Karnataka government has issued a directive to stop all property transfer processes related to the alleged land registration of farmers and others private properties under the Waqf Board. The decision was announced amid growing concerns about unauthorized property rights and administrative actions.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the immediate suspension of ongoing property transfers and ordered the withdrawal of any notifications related to these cases.

The Chief Minister also asked the officials to ensure this no action is taken against farmers who are actively cultivating the land involved in the dispute, giving them relief amid fears of losing their property rights.

Moreover, the Congress-led state government has also warned officials of disciplinary action against those who issued orders without proper authorization.

The directive came a day after the chairman of Parliament’s Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagdambika Pal, received over 500 petitions from farmers in the northern districts of Karnataka, who alleged that their land had been marked as Waqf properties.

According to BJP MLA Tejasvi Surya, who is also a JPC member, he along with Pal visited Hubballi, Vijayapura and Belagavi districtsduring which farmers and members of various organizations claimed that their lands were being claimed by the Waqf Council of States.

“Jagdambika Pal along with Surya received over 500 petitions from farmers in Vijayapura, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Hubballi, Bagalkote and Belgavi on their agricultural land claimed by the Waqf Board as Waqf property,” Surya’s office said in a statement.

However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the tour of Pal and Surya was “politically motivated” in view of the upcoming assembly by-polls in the state and elections in neighboring Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP in Karnataka staged protestsaccusing the Congress government of indulging in “land jihad”. The party also demanded the removal of Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan from the Cabinet.