Five injured, 30 arrested in clash over waqf land dispute in Karnataka

Although police have not specified the cause, locals revealed that the violence stemmed from a dispute over waqf land, reported India Today.

Police said that several people from one group threw stones at a house, resulting in injuries.

"We don’t know why this fight started. Thirty people are arrested and we’ll investigate and find the reason," a senior police official was quoted as saying by India Today.

The incident occurred allegedly after some local Muslims filed a petition to district officials claiming waqf land in the village, according to the members of the Hindu community.

The India Today report said that no such petition was found upon checking.

However, the matter flared up as Hindu men allegedly threw stones at eight Muslim houses, resulting in a fight between the two communities, according to India Today.

The window panes were shattered and vehicles were vandalised, according to the report.

The injured have been admitted to a hospital for medical treatment.

However, members of the Hindu community felt that a petition claiming village land as waqf land had been submitted to the district officials, police said.

The violence between two communities broke out days after farmers in Vijayapura’s Honvada village, also in Karnataka, said they were informed in a letter by the Tehsildar on October 4 that 1,500 acres of their ancestral land was being reassigned to the Waqf Board.

In response to allegations, Congress Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan said that of the original 1.12 lakh acres under waqf management, only 23,860 acres remain under its control.

He rubbished accusations of waqf appropriating farmers' land, stressing his own farming roots and commitment to respecting farmers' rights.

On August 8, the government introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha, describing it as a measure to streamline Waqf Board operations and improve management of waqf properties.

However, various political parties and Muslim organizations have opposed the Bill, calling it unfair and an attempt to infringe on the constitutional rights of Muslims.

Following this, the legislation was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further review.

The proposed bill includes provisions to add two women members to each state Waqf board and the Central Waqf Council.

In August, the JPC invited feedback from the public, NGOs, experts, stakeholders, and institutions regarding the proposed changes to the waqf law under the NDA government.