Parliament panel gives Karnataka 15 days to provide details of Waqf land

The parliamentary panel on Waqf Amendment Bill on Thursday gave 15 days to the Karnataka Government to provide all details regarding the number of Waqf properties in the state and clarity on their ownership. At the same time, the panel has asked representatives of Madhya Pradesh’s Minority Affairs Department to appear before it again as no information had been forthcoming from them on the matter.

Last month, a controversy had erupted in Karnataka, after BJP MP Tejaswi Surya had claimed that more than 1,500 acres of land belonging to farmers in Vijayapura district was being taken over by the Waqf board. Sources said the joint parliamentary panel, which is scrutinising the controversial Bill, had summoned officials of the minority affairs departments of Karnataka, MP and Rajasthan. The panel is likely to visit to West Bengal, UP and Bihar.