Waqf Board claims 43 Vijayapura monuments including Gol Gumbaz

Amid a heated debate over the Waqf Board’s land ownership, a report has emerged revealing that in 2009, the Karnataka Waqf Board declared 43 centrally protected monuments in Vijayapura district, including historic landmarks like Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, and Bara Kaman, as Waqf properties. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), however, is yet to recognise the Waqf Board’s claim by amending the official land records.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of exploiting the Waqf controversy to serve political purposes. “The BJP has continued protesting even after we ordered the withdrawal of notices issued to farmers regarding Waqf property issues,” Siddaramaiah shared, adding that his government had already mandated that no decision should inconvenience farmers. He emphasised that the notices were a procedural step common in past BJP-led administrations, noting similar actions were taken by former BJP chief ministers such as BS Yediyurappa, DV Sadananda Gowda, and Jagadish Shettar.
Siddaramaiah’s criticism was bolstered by a circulating video of BJP leader and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, which showed him addressing the Muslim community, reportedly saying, “Waqf property belongs to Allah, and those who encroached on it will answer to Him.” The video, Siddaramaiah argued, illustrates BJP’s “hypocrisy”, alleging that the party is “stirring communal sentiments” for political gains.
In response, BJP leaders, including Bommai and Leader of Opposition R Ashok, accused the Congress of flip-flopping on the issue. Bommai said, “The Congress instructed Deputy Commissioners to issue these notices,” while Ashok questioned the authenticity of the government’s motives. He claimed that the government’s withdrawal of the notices is a “U-turn” prompted solely by public outcry.
Ashok further demanded that the Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan resign, while Bommai asserted that Congress’s retraction reflects an attempt to divert from alleged mismanagement. Bommai also referenced recent controversies, labelling Siddaramaiah’s administration a “U-turn government” and predicting political backlash.
As the political drama unfolds, Siddaramaiah reiterated his government’s commitment to empowering communities across Karnataka, expressing determination to resist what he called BJP’s attempts to undermine state welfare programs through “smear campaigns.”
Meanwhile, the BJP’s staunch opposition shows no sign of abating, as it calls for further clarification on Waqf properties and demands the 1975 notification regarding these lands be repealed.
This comes after the recent controversy surrounding the Waqf Board where farmers in Honvada village in Karnataka’s Vijayapura said they received a letter from the Tehsildar on October 4, which stated that 1,500 acres of their ancestral land was being reassigned to the Waqf Board.
The BJP also claimed that the Waqf Board’s name was reportedly added to land records for 44 properties in Vijayapura without notice to landowners.