In the heated argument, at least five people got injured in the clash between two groups that erupted on Wednesday night at Haveri in Karnataka. The police are still to establish the reason behind the altercation, although local sources say it is rooted in a controversy related to Waqf land.
There, it is reported that the members of one community started hurling stones at one house, in which five persons were injured. The Senior police official said, “We don’t know why this fight started. Thirty people have been arrested, and we will investigate to find out the reason.”
Tensions rose high over rumours that some Muslim locals had petitioned district officials, staking a claim to Waqf land in the village; checks proved this was not the case. Acting on this false information, it is alleged that a group of Hindu men started throwing stones at eight Muslim houses, which triggered the violent clash.
The incident caused damage, breaking window panes and vandalizing several vehicles. The injured have been admitted to the district hospital for treatment.
On the other hand, the Hindu community has continued to accuse Muslims of filing a petition regarding the Waqf land. At the same time, police investigations reveal that the conflict started based on a petition they believed existed but did not.
It is part of the fresh controversy at Honvada village,, where the farmers received a letter from the Tehsildar on October 4 stating that 1,500 acres of their land would be taken over and handed over to the Waqf Board.
To this, Congress minister Zameer Ahmed Khan explained that out of 1.12 lakh acres under the Waqf Board, it controlled only 23,860 acres, pointing out that he respects the farmers’ rights as he hailed from an agricultural background.
In this regard, the Union government moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to bring transparency to the functioning of the Waqf Board and ensure proper management of Waqf properties. The Bill was subsequently referred to a JPC after opposition parties and Muslim bodies resisted its passage, fearing that it was a ploy against their community and would deny them the constitutional rights guaranteed to them. The proposed Waqf bill has represented two women members in all state Waqf boards and the Central Council.
