Bengaluru, Oct 31 (IANS): Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday said the Congress government in Karnataka has created the Waqf row to divert attention from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board scams.

The party will also "expose" the Congress government, which it alleged, is forcing authorities to change the land records of farmers and mention them as the property of the Waqf board in the various districts of the state, he said.

State BJP President B. Y. Vijayendra said the Congress government was implementing the Tughlaq policy in the state.

Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday asked the farmers and Hindus to check their land records and documents related to properties.

He urged farmers and Hindus across the state to check all their records, including land, home, and farm documents to protect their properties from encroachment.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday dubbed the statewide protest call given by the BJP on the Waqf land row as politics with an eye on Karnataka bypolls and the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

"The BJP wants to benefit in the by-elections in the state and also in the Maharashtra Assembly polls by raking up the Waqf issue," he slammed.