BJP’s ‘disgruntled’ leaders take out separate protest march over waqf issue in Bidar

The internal rumblings in the Bharatiya Janata Party came to the fore again with “disgruntled” leaders, led by senior MLA Basanagouda Patil R. Yatnal, embarking on a separate campaign on the waqf row in Bidar, without waiting for the party’s campaign scheduled to begin early next month.

The internal rumblings in the Bharatiya Janata Party came to the fore again with “disgruntled” leaders, led by senior MLA Basanagouda Patil R. Yatnal, embarking on a separate campaign on the waqf row in Bidar, without waiting for the party’s campaign scheduled to begin early next month.

Mr. Yatnal along with BJP leaders Arvind Limbavalli, G.M. Siddeshwar, Kumar Bangarappa, and Ramesh Jarkiholi took out a protest march in Bidar, against the eviction notice issued to some farmers by the waqf board accusing them of encroachment.

The protest rally began from Ganesh Maidan and concluded at the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Mr. Yatnal, addressing the gathering, termed the issue of notice and changing of land records as “land jihad” and appeasement politics by the Siddaramaiah government.

The land belonging to farmers, temples, and mutts, besides archaeological sites, were being marked as waqf land and the Congress was making an attempt to create another Pakistan in India, he alleged.

The BJP local leaders expressed anguish over the “disgruntled leaders” and took exception to the absence of State president B.Y. Vijayendra’s photo on the banners. Local leaders including local MLAs did not turn up for the event.

The party district unit president has filed a complaint against Mr. Yatnal’s team and urged the district police to remove the unauthorised banners.

Meanwhile, BJP State general secretary P. Rajiv termed the action “indiscipline” and said the party would report the matter to Central leaders.