BENGALURU: Under attack from the opposition for allegedly changing land records and giving ownership of farmers’ lands and other properties to the Waqf board, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has given orders to halt the land mutation process. Land Mutation is the process of updating property records in the land revenue department to reflect a change in ownership.

The BJP, which launched an all-out agitation and verbal attack on the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the issue, was upbeat about the development. The principal secretary of the Revenue Department has sent the order to all Regional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners.

The order also underlined that no action should be initiated against the farmers tilling such agricultural lands. The order issued by B. Uday Kumar Shetty, Additional Secretary of the Revenue Department (Land Grants, Land Reformation and Land Revenue) states that as per the directions of the Chief Minister, the official communications of April 15, April 24 and November 7 are withdrawn.

Action will be initiated against the officers who released the order on November 7 despite the Chief Minister’s directions against it. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued direction after holding a meeting on Saturday regarding complaints of farmers’ lands being named as the Waqf property.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and prominent state leaders have given a call to farmers to organise and chase away the officers if the latter arrive to issue notices claiming ownership of their lands to the Waqf board.

BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil had launched an indefinite strike in Vijayapura city, demanding the withdrawal of notices to farmers by authorities claiming ownership of their lands to the Waqf board.

MLA Yatnal also demanded the nationalisation of all the Waqf property for the welfare of all sections of the society.