Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)

Udupi, Nov 6: Udupi District BJP staged a protest at the DC office in Manipal on Monday, voicing their concerns over the Waqf Board issue. The protest rally, which began at Coin Circle, concluded at the DC office.

Addressing the gathering, Udupi District BJP president Kishore Kumar Kundapur criticized the state government, stating, "Whenever Congress comes to power, peace in society is disturbed. We see rising prices, rampant corruption, cancellation of beneficial policies, and mismanagement of schemes leading to large-scale corruption. Though the Waqf Board is under state control, it is currently influenced by Zameer Khan, with the support of CM Siddaramaiah. I urge people to regularly check their RTC records to ensure that ancestral lands remain secure. This protest is not just a BJP matter but a stand for societal welfare. When Anwar Manipaddi led the Waqf Board, he cautioned the government about Congress and Muslim leaders taking over Waqf properties. The government must address these concerns."

Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna added, "After 'love jihad,' the Congress government is now enabling what we might call ‘land jihad.’ They are backing policies that lack constitutional basis, infringing upon the lives of Hindus. If Hindus don’t unite and protest, we risk losing our nation's Hindu identity. Farmers are losing their lands due to the unchecked activities of the Waqf Board, which operates outside legal boundaries. Now, the Waqf name is appearing on lands belonging to Hindu religious centers. This isn’t just the work of Congress but also involves so-called ‘fake Hindus.’ Only by exposing these individuals will our protest have true impact."

Following the speeches, protesters marched to the DC office and submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner Dr Vidya Kumari, urging the return of a proposal from the Waqf Board related to Udupi district.

District BJP secretary Reshma Uday Kumar Shetty, Udupi City Municipality president Prabhakar Poojary, Udupi City Mandala president Dinesh Amin, leaders Rajeev Kulal, Shilpa G Suvarna, Sandhya Ramesh, Prathviraj Shetty, Udupi OBC Morcha president Vijay Kodavoor, Minority Morcha president Rudolph D’Souza, and others, including Suresh Shetty Gopadi and Jithendra Shetty, were present at the protest.