Daijiworld Media Network – Vijayapura/Bidar (MS)

Vijayapura / Bidar, Nov 3: The ongoing land dispute involving the Wakf Board has escalated, with notices served to 43 tourist sites in the district, including several significant memorials, now being claimed as Wakf properties. This follows a recent controversy where the Wakf Board claimed ownership of agricultural land cultivated by farmers in Honavada village for generations.

In a related development, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed officials to withdraw notices issued to farmers concerning their land. However, it has now come to light that the Wakf Board has expanded its claims to the district's historical monuments, including prominent sites like Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, and Bara Kaman in Vijayapura, as well as various forts in Bidar and Kalaburagi.

MP Ramesh Jigajinagi condemned the Wakf notices regarding the tourist sites and urged the state government to promptly retract these claims. He expressed concern over the potential impact on tourism and the preservation of historical heritage.

The Wakf Board has asserted ownership over a total of 53 historical monuments across Karnataka, including the 43 sites in Vijayapura, which were designated as Wakf properties in 2005 without consultation from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). These monuments are classified as centrally protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains (AMASR) Act of 1958, which grants ASI sole authority over their maintenance and conservation.

Reports indicate that many of these sites have suffered encroachments and unauthorized modifications over the years. Examples of such changes include alterations to religious sites, which have reportedly been transformed into madrasas, and various installations of modern amenities, such as fans and air conditioning units. These unauthorised modifications have raised concerns about their impact on tourism and the integrity of Indo-Islamic architectural heritage, which is under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Despite repeated directives from the Union Ministry of Culture since 2007, local authorities have not cleared the encroachments, and ASI officials note a lack of documentary evidence supporting the Wakf Board's claims, even after a joint survey in 2012.

BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya criticised the Congress government, alleging that it is engaging in "loot and land grab by the Wakf Board" and prioritising political gains over the interests of the state. He called for immediate action to protect Karnataka's lands from being claimed as Wakf property.

The situation remains tense as farmers in Vijayapura, who reported receiving notices claiming their 1,500 acres of land as Wakf property, have been assured by the state government that they will not be forced to vacate their farms while the matter is reviewed.