‘CM Siddaramaiah deliberately withheld report to protect Waqf land encroachers in Congress’

New Delhi: Amid growing political tension over Waqf Board properties and the notices issued to farmers, institutions, temples and religious establishments, BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya has written to Joint Parliamentary Committee Chairman Jagdambika Pal, urging a re-evaluation of a suppressed Lokayukta report from 2016 on Waqf properties.

In his letter dated Dec. 9, Siroya accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of withholding Upa Lokayukta Justice N. Anand’s report on the alleged criminal misuse and encroachment of Waqf properties.

“This is to draw your attention to an investigation report submitted by former Karnataka Upa Lokayukta, Justice N. Anand, in March 2016 when Siddaramaiah was CM. The report meticulously documents decades of criminal misuse, mismanagement, illegal subletting, and outright encroachment of Waqf properties by those entrusted with their protection. It’s a clear case of the proverbial fence eating the crop,” Siroya’s letter stated.

The BJP MP further questioned:  “Why did the Government panic and withdraw its own enquiry order? Who was the Siddaramaiah government trying to protect in 2016? If the Government truly cared about preventing encroachments on Waqf properties and protecting minority interests, why was this enquiry commission dissolved overnight? Was it to shield prominent Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah’s allies, whose names might have surfaced?”  He urged the Committee to consider the suppressed report’s implications while deliberating on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. He highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in addressing encroachments and mismanagement of Waqf properties.

Taking to social media platform X, Siroya posted: “My letter to the Chairman of JPC on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, Jagdambika Pal, on the suppressed Lokayukta report by the Government of Karnataka under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in 2016 regarding Waqf properties.” He stressed the urgency of addressing the circumstances behind the report’s suppression and appealed for informed decisions on Waqf legislation reforms.