Audience stops Karnataka BJP MLA from discussing Waqf at temple event, leading to his exit
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Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, who is known for his vitriol targeting the Muslim community, reportedly left a temple event in Bagalkot district after the crowd demanded that he refrain from making comments on the Waqf.
Yatnal had been invited as a guest for the inauguration of Shri Allam Prabhu Temple in Terdal, where he began discussing the controversial Waqf land issue, accusing the Waqf Board of illegally seizing land owned by temples and farmers and claiming the Board was established to cater to the interests of a specific community. When the crowd asked him to stop, it led to his exit from the event.
He also mentioned the encroachment of about eight acres of land, which had recently sparked public debate. However, his remarks were met with objections from several members of the crowd, who urged him not to bring politics into the event.
As the audience insisted, Yatnal questioned whether discussing the Waqf issue was inherently political. Despite the crowd’s objections, he decided to leave the venue, with a video of the incident quickly going viral on social media.
The incident also highlighted broader concerns, with some members of the gathering objecting to the fact that donations from a minority community had contributed to the construction of the new temple.
Yatnal, who has been at the centre of the Waqf land controversy in Karnataka, had previously accused the state’s Waqf Board of attempting to claim over 1,200 acres of land in Honwad village.
Though these claims were later disproven, the BJP leader launched an agitation in early November following notices issued by the Waqf Board in the Vijayapura district. The issue drew national attention, with Jagdambika Pal, chairperson of the Parliament's joint committee examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, visiting Vijayapura to investigate further.
Yatnal eventually ended his three-day protest after submitting a memorandum to Pal, demanding the repeal of existing Waqf laws. Known for his controversial remarks, Yatnal had previously stirred controversy by accusing fellow BJP leaders, including B S Yediyurappa and B Y Vijayendra, of wrongdoing within the party.