Bidar (Karnataka), Nov 25 (PTI) Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal's supporters on Monday kick-started the much touted march against Waqf Board after eviction notices were served to farmers and allegedly some religious places in the state.
On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s direction, all such notices have been withdrawn and cancelled. The CM also warned that anyone issuing fresh notices acting on the cancelled notices would face action. However, Yatnal's supporters decided to go ahead with its decision.
The month-long event started on Monday from Bidar in North Karnataka and would go up to Chamarajanagar in southern most Karnataka.
The concluding ceremony would take place in Bengaluru on December 25, according to Yatnal.
Yatnal-led camp has 12 senior BJP leaders, including MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, MP G M Siddeshwara, former minister Arvind Limbavali and former MLA Madhu Bangarappa.
Senior JD(S) leader Bandeppa Kashempur too joined the march, sporting a saffron scarf.
Addressing the gathering, Yatnal alleged that Waqf law is an attempt to convert the whole of India into Pakistan and it should be fought tooth and nail.
An open critic of senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa and his family, Yatnal had often demanded that the party central command should put an end to 'dynastic politics' for an effective fight against the Gandhi family in Congress.
The month-long march is seen as an answer to the state BJP unit’s ‘fact finding team’ visiting Yatnal’s constituency to understand the problems faced by farmers in Vijayapura who had received notices from the district administration to evict land allegedly belonging to Waqf Board.
The fact finding team constituted by BJP state president B Y Vijayendra did not have Yatnal and another BJP heavyweight Ramesh Jigajinagi from Vijayapura district.
When Vijayendra’s fact-finding team visited Vijayapura, Yatnal and his camp distanced itself from the exercise.