Ruckus erupts in House over Waqf, quota

Bengaluru: The winter session of the Karnataka legislature began on a contentious note on Monday, as the Waqf land dispute triggered a fierce exchange between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP within hours of commencement at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.

- HT Correspondent

Tensions flared when speaker UT Khader attempted to brief the House to mention about the unveiling of a painting of the Anubhava Mantapa, a 12th-century spiritual and social reform centre conceptualised by Basavanna in Basavakalyan. Leader of opposition R Ashoka interjected, accusing the government of failing to protect temples associated with Basavanna.

Ashoka claimed that several Basavanna temples were "taken away by the Waqf Board" and demanded an immediate discussion under a censuring clause. "You are talking about Anubhava Mantapa here, while several temples of Basavanna have all become Waqf property," he asserted.

Despite the speaker's assurance that the matter would be addressed after Question Hour, BJP MLAs pressed for an immediate debate, leading to a standoff. BJP members disrupted proceedings, citing a prior adjournment notice submitted on the issue.

Revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda countered the BJP's claims and said that most of the controversial notices issued by the Waqf Board to reclaim encroached land were during the BJP's tenure. "You are being heroic now. But where were you when your own government issued such notices?" he questioned.

Medical education minister Sharan Prakash Patil accused the BJP and RSS of opposing Basavanna's ideology. "The BJP and RSS don't even display Basavanna's photos in their offices," he said, drawing sharp objections from the opposition.

The Waqf row gained momentum after farmers in Vijayapura district alleged that their lands were wrongly classified as Waqf properties. Similar complaints surfaced from other regions, leading to protests from religious institutions and organisations.