Belagavi: Karnataka’s political arena is embroiled in a fierce debate over the Waqf scam, with the state’s Minister for RDPR, IT, and BT, Priyank Kharge, accusing the BJP of spreading misinformation without evidence. In a press conference on December 16 at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, Kharge slammed the BJP, claiming they were making unfounded accusations to deceive the public about the Waqf issue.
Kharge specifically targeted BJP leaders, including C.T. Ravi and BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel, accusing them of misleading the public about the state’s Waqf properties. He also claimed that the BJP’s political strategy was to exploit the issue for political gain, citing their failure to act on promises related to Waqf properties from their manifesto, such as conducting GISS mapping and protecting Waqf assets.
The minister also brought up the BJP’s inconsistent stance on several issues, including misleading information about farmer suicides in Haveri. According to Kharge, these examples highlight the BJP’s double standards in addressing critical issues in the state.
In response to queries regarding the Waqf issue, Kharge mentioned that the central government had pledged Rs 335 crore for GISS mapping and digitization of Waqf assets to support the community’s economy. He further clarified that neither he nor the Congress party had raised the initial allegations; instead, it was BJP spokesperson Anwar Manipaddy, who had accused BJP leaders of corruption involving Waqf properties. Kharge referred to videos and news reports in which Manipaddy had alleged a massive Rs 2.5 lakh crore scam and claimed that some BJP leaders were involved in suppressing investigations into the issue.
Kharge also recounted Manipaddy’s claims that BJP leaders, including B.S. Yediyurappa’s son, Vijayendra, had offered a large sum of money to suppress the Waqf scam investigation. Manipaddy, who had served as the former Chairman of the Minority Commission, allegedly received offers to settle the matter but later became vocal about the corruption he uncovered within the BJP.
According to Kharge, Manipaddy had reported the alleged corruption to multiple Chief Ministers and even wrote to the Prime Minister, but no action was taken. He also accused Union Minister Pralhad Joshi of downplaying the scam, despite BJP leaders, including Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, suggesting that the scale of the scam could be much larger than initially reported.
Kharge pointed out that while the BJP was calling for a CBI investigation into the issue, they had failed to act on the matter when the Prime Minister had received the report. He further emphasized that BJP leaders should take responsibility for their own actions and not deflect blame onto others.
In a dramatic turn, Vijayendra, who is accused of attempting to bribe Manipaddy to suppress the Waqf fraud investigation, has called for a CBI inquiry into the Waqf fraud case. However, Anwar Manipaddy later retracted his bribery allegations against Congress leaders, though he maintained that the Waqf scam remained a critical issue.
The ongoing political slugfest between Congress and BJP over the Waqf issue has sparked heated debates, with both sides accusing each other of corruption, political manipulation, and neglecting the welfare of the Muslim community. As the conflict continues to unfold, the future of the Waqf properties and the investigation into the alleged scam remains uncertain.
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