BJP will again launch protest against Waqf Board notices, says Sriramulu

“The Congress government is issuing notices to hundreds of farmers in Gokak in Belagavi district, accusing them of encroaching upon Waqf land. The BJP will start a State-level agitation against such notices,” the former Minister and BJP leader B. Sriramulu said in Bagalkot on Friday.

“This is the second time in three years that the State Waqf Board has issued notices to farmers who have been cultivating farmland for generations. Our agitation led to the Congress government directing the board that withdraw such notices. But now, they (notices) have been issued again. This is unfortunate. We will start an agitation against this again and ensure that the issue is resolved,” he told reporters.

He said that the Waqf amendment being brought by the Union government will end all confusion related to Waqf land.

“We will make sure that Hindu land owners shall retain their rights over their land that have been falsely branded as belonging to Waqf Board,” Mr. Sriramulu said.

To a query on expelled party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s charge of internal adjustment of senior BJP leaders in fielding Srinivas Dasakariyappa, a candidate from the Bedar Nayaka community, from a general seat in Davangere South, Mr. Sriramulu said that he does not think it is to help the Shamanur family but to provide an opportunity to a loyal party worker in fighting elections.

BJP MP Govind Karjol said that he does not consider Mr. Srinivas as an ST community candidate but only as a BJP candidate.

Mr. Sriramulu accused Public Works Minister and a senior Bedar Nayaka leader Satish Jarkiholi as failing to protect the interests of the community. He has also been silent on issues connected to ST communities. All through the issue of internal reservation and increasing the quantum of STs reservation, he remained silent.

“This is unacceptable. Satish Jarkiholi has not spoken against irregularities in the Valmiki ST Development Corporation,” he said.

BJP MP Jagadish Shettar said that the people of Karnataka are upset with the State government and are waiting to teach the Congress a lesson.

“That they will do by defeating Congress nominees in Bagalkot and Davangere South bypolls,” Mr. Shettar said.

Mr. Shettar said that the people of the State are angry with the Congress government as “it has betrayed their mandate.”

“There is no governance in the State and law and order has collapsed. Corruption has reached unprecedented levels. Centrally-aided schemes and railway projects are suffering as the Congress government has failed to pay up its share,” the MP said.

“While I do not want to criticise the guarantee schemes, I want to say that the State government has failed to reimburse State-run transport undertakings and electric supply companies for their services under the guarantees,” Mr. Shettar said.

According to him, BJP nominee Veeranna Charantimath has no real opposition and will win easily from Bagalkot in the imminent bypolls.

“People have a feeling that despite the war in West Asia, India is safe because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister is maintaining good relations with all three parties, the U.S., Israel and Iran and also, the Gulf countries. Mr. Modi is also trying to stop the war,” Mr. Shettar said.

“Mr. Modi is managing the governance of the country despite the several challenges like growing inflation, fuel scarcity and uncertainty. In fact, he has reduced taxes on fuels. National-level public sector undertakings and boards and corporations are making profits while State-level bodies are making losses. But Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is criticising us. It seems to be wishing for a chaos so that the Prime Minister becomes unpopular. He was inciting riots. He has no concern for the country. He has no qualification to continue as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” Mr. Shettar said.