GADAG : Farmers from the Gadag district and its surrounding areas, who launched a legal battle in August 2022 against the local Waqf Board’s claims over their lands, have now got their properties back in their names.
In all, 315 farmers went to a local court against the claims of the board over their lands. Many of them have now launched a campaign to raise awareness among other farmers who are facing a similar problem.
Many have been deprived of crop insurance compensation and other government facilities because of the row over ownership of their lands.
Farmers, most of whom are illiterates, did not know what was happening with regard to the ownership of their lands as they have been listed as Waqf properties.
‘Got our land from ancestors’
Many came to know that their lands were under the Waqf Board on March 21, 2019. While many said that they got their land from their ancestors, some stated they had taken it on a contract called “Kabja” or “Lavani” in Kannada.
The farmers said that they got their lands verified based on the Land Reforms Act of 1974. Learning that their lands have been listed as Waqf properties, they went to the court. In August 2022, 315 farmers got their lands back from the Waqf Board.
“In all, 516 farmers went to the court and 315 of them got their names back on their land records. The rest are awaiting the court’s order. We have been fighting a legal battle for the past six years. Some have technical and other problems with regard to their lands. We are sure of getting our lands back,” a group of farmers told TNIE.
Meanwhile, a member of the Gadag District Waqf Board said that buyers should check the land documents properly before buying.