We will raise Waqf issue in House: BJP's CT Ravi as Karnataka legislature's Winter Session begins

Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 9 (ANI): As the two-week long Winter Session of the Karnataka legislature commenced on Monday, BJP leader CT Ravi said that his party will raise Waqf issue in the House, adding that "thousands of acres of land are being seized wrongly."
"There are many issues like Waqf issue. We will discuss this because thousands of acres of land are being seized wrongly. Issues like corruption, health care will also be raised in the session...We will give priority to the issues of North Karnataka and raise the issues of the public," CT Ravi told ANI.
The BJP has conducted several protests in the state alleging that farmers land being usurped as Waqf properties. Due to the farmers' protest the state government had to withdraw notices to farmers and directing the bureaucracy not to issue any fresh notice to remove encroachment of Waqf properties in the State.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao urged the Opposition to cooperate with the government in conducting the House smoothly.
"There are many issues, various bills that will come up for discussion. The issues of people should be discussed. The MLAs should not protest or interrupt the proceedings of the house...The opposition should cooperate," Gundu Rao told ANI.
The session will take up five bills, three private bills, and replacement bills for the two ordinances being tabled in the assembly.
Besides the Waqf issue, the Opposition is expected to raise the alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in allotting 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife.
However, the ruling Congress is more confident in the light of its sweep of all three Assembly constituencies -- Channapatna, Sandur and Shiggaon in the recent by-elections.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Congress victory sends a strong message to BJP, whose efforts to tarnish his image through false cases and propaganda had failed.
"This win proves that the people stand with us. As long as I have their blessings, no conspiracy can shake me," Siddaramaiah said.
Taking a jab at BJP's history in Karnataka, he said, "BJP has never come to power on its own in Karnataka. They have always relied on Operation Kamala, buying MLAs and manipulating the system. Where did this money come from? They need to answer that."
On corruption allegations, including the Waqf issue, Siddaramaiah accused Modi of making baseless claims. Referring to Modi's speech in Maharashtra, where he alleged corruption worth Rs 700 crore, Siddaramaiah said, "I challenged Modi to prove this or face my retirement from politics. As expected, he did not respond." (ANI)