The suicide of 24-year-old farmer Rudrappa Balikai from Harangiri village in Hanagal taluk in Haveri district has taken a significant turn, as his father, Channappa Balikai, claims his son took his own life due to their land being designated as waqf property. While speaking to reporters on November 9, Channappa Balikai explained the family’s ordeal and his son’s distress over the property issue.
“Our family has legally owned this land since 1964,” said Channappa, recounting how his father purchased 4 acres and 36 guntas of land in Allapur village from Mohammad Yusuf. “All documents were transferred to my father’s name, and later the land was registered in my name. In 2015, however, local authorities, accompanied by police, seized the land and handed it over to the Waqf Asti Mokashi Trust,” he alleged.
Channappa expressed their resistance to vacating the land, stating, “We didn’t agree to vacate, yet they forged my son’s signature on official documents.” He further argued, “It’s unjust to file an FIR against Tejaswi Surya, who simply raised his voice in our support.”
He added that he was pressured into signing a complaint stating his son’s suicide was due to a debt of Rs 7 lakh. “The police persuaded me to sign that complaint, though we were later granted a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. But we were discouraged from filing any complaint about the waqf issue afterward.”
Support from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, leading a BJP delegation, visited the grieving family on Saturday. Speaking to reporters, he expressed support for the farmers facing waqf property claims. “We will support the farmers’ legal battle against this. The Supreme Court has issued clear guidelines on waqf property management, yet lands are being taken over without due notice,” Joshi stated.
Joshi added, “There is widespread concern that the state government could convert as much as 9 lakh acres of land into waqf property.” He highlighted the gravity of the issue by noting, “In Bengaluru, the Majestic Central Bus Stand—a critical transit hub of 175 acres—is claimed by the Waqf Board as waqf property. At this rate, it won’t be surprising if even Vidhana Soudha is labeled waqf property tomorrow.”
Broader Impact on Farmers and Land Ownership
Channappa Balikai insists that his son’s tragic decision directly resulted from the waqf property designation. The family and numerous other landowners are now fearful as claims on agricultural lands as waqf property appear to be on the rise across Karnataka.
After Rudrappa’s death, discussions around land ownership rights, legal protections, and the implications of waqf claims have intensified, with Joshi and other leaders promising to support affected farmers in their legal challenges.
Case booked against Tejasvi Surya
The Haveri police booked a case against Bengaluru south MP Tejasvi Surya, who posed the same in his X account. The government’ which filed an FIR against BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Kannada news portal editors for allegedly spreading misinformation related to a farmer’s suicide and Waqf land claims, is highly questionable and appears to target legitimate political discourse. While there is a need to ensure that public figures and media outlets are responsible with their statements, this action by the state raises concerns about selective censorship and an attempt to stifle opposition voices.
Tejasvi Surya’s statement and the coverage by Kannada news portals brought attention to a broader issue—farmer anxieties over Waqf property claims, which are genuine and well-documented concerns across Karnataka. Farmers have repeatedly expressed fears about losing their land due to ambiguities surrounding Waqf property designations. Given his role on the Joint Parliamentary Committee for the Waqf Amendment Bill, Surya’s involvement and advocacy on this issue highlights the need for transparency and accountability in these property claims.
However, instead of addressing the root issues Surya and others have brought to light, the government has reacted with discriminatory and politically motivated legal actions. Such moves not only stifle democratic debate but also distract from addressing the legitimate concerns of the farmers involved. By charging Surya and the news editors, the government appears more focused on controlling the narrative than resolving the underlying issues causing unrest among the farming community.
It is essential to have a fair and open environment where grievances, especially those affecting large sections of the population, can be aired without fear of reprisal. Misusing legal provisions like Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita to target political opponents sets a dangerous precedent for silencing dissent, particularly when those raising these issues are doing so on behalf of concerned citizens. This kind of selective application of the law risks eroding public trust in the government’s commitment to free speech and democratic principles.
The state government is thinking of filing an FIR against B S Yeddyurappa
In a fresh controversy, the state government is planning to register an FIR against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and former health minister B S Sriramulu, claiming corruption in procuring medical equipment during the Corona period. But BJP leaders strongly condemned it, claiming hate politics by Siddaramaiah.
Reacting sharply to the governments move, union minister Prahlad Joshi said, “We Won’t Bow to CM Siddaramaiah’s Politics of Hatred, We’ll Face the Investigation”:
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi has responded strongly to the Karnataka government’s decision to recommend prosecution over the alleged Covid scandal. Addressing reporters in Haranagiri village of Hanagal taluk on Saturday, Joshi accused the state government of engaging in vendetta politics under CM Siddaramaiah.
“There was already an investigation by a retired judge into the Covid scandal, so why did it take them a year and a half to act? Let them investigate – we will face it,” Joshi stated. He further alleged that corruption scandals have emerged within the Siddaramaiah government, including in departments such as labour and excise. “As soon as accusations came against them, Siddaramaiah started playing politics of hate,” he added.
Union Minister Sri @JoshiPralhad Ji has exposed the blatant lie of the Congress State Government.
It’s shameful that the state government is trying to suppress the fact of the suicide of the farmer, even when his parents are endlessly crying and pleading for justice. https://t.co/3ISQabTm2R
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) November 9, 2024
ವಕ್ಫ್ ಹಿಂಸೆಗೆ ಇನ್ನೆಷ್ಟು ಬಲಿ ಬೇಕು @siddaramaiah ನವರೇ?
ವಕ್ಫ್ ಮಂಡಳಿಯ ಭೂಕಳ್ಳತನದ ಮಾಫಿಯಾಗೆ ಬೇಸತ್ತು ಈ ಹಿಂದೆ ಹಾನಗಲ್ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ಹರನಗಿರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಓರ್ವ ಯುವಕ ಆತ್ಮಹತ್ಯೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದ. 1964 ರಿಂದ ತಮ್ಮದೇ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಜಮೀನನ್ನು 2015 ರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲ ಸಮಾಜಘಾತುಕರು ವಕ್ಫ್ ನಿಯಮದ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಜಮೀನು ತಮ್ಮದಾಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು… pic.twitter.com/fgTY8SI78C
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) November 9, 2024
On the Haveri Farmer’s Suicide
Commenting on the recent suicide of a farmer in Haveri, Joshi expressed outrage at the actions taken under Waqf property claims. “In the Haveri district, a land that was bought in 1964 was suddenly recorded as Waqf property in 2015, with standing cotton and sugarcane crops destroyed. This land had been farmed for over 52 years without any notice, and the farmer, Rudrappa, took his own life out of despair,” he said. Joshi claimed that Waqf’s property claims contributed to the tragedy, as the land had been taken over without prior notice or compensation.
The Union Minister further criticized the state government’s handling of Waqf property issues, asserting that both Hindu and Muslim families are losing their lands due to such claims, which has left the affected communities feeling helpless. Joshi emphasized that Rudrappa’s land, totalling over four acres, was seized, raising the question of how farmers should survive if their livelihoods are taken away without due process.
