FIR against Tejasvi Surya for spreading false claim linking farmer's death to Waqf Board
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A false claim made by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, quoting a report from two Kannada media portals, Kannada Duniya and Kannada News, that a farmer had committed suicide after his land was procured by the Waqf Board, has led to him being legally charged after the Karnataka police filed an FIR against him and the portals.
Surya had posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Rudrappa Channappa Balikai, a farmer, took his own life due to his land being “taken over by the Waqf Board.”
He further attributed the situation to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, suggesting that the state government’s actions were causing distress among the farming community.
However, local police investigations indicated that the farmer’s death in January 2022 was linked to loan burdens and crop losses rather than any Waqf Board involvement.
The Haveri superintendent of police clarified that Balikai’s father had informed authorities that his son had taken loans amounting to ₹7 lakh and had suffered extensive crop damage from excessive rainfall, which contributed to his financial difficulties. Following the police's statement, Surya deleted his post, adding that he would avoid relying on his initial source for future claims.
Alongside Surya, editors from two Kannada media portals, Kannada Duniya and Kannada News, that reported similar claims were also charged. All three face charges under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which pertains to publishing or circulating false information.
Despite deleting his post, Surya later claimed that senior state ministers were pressuring the police to alter records regarding farmer suicides linked to the Waqf issue. He expressed concerns that actions taken against him and certain media outlets compromised fair reporting on the matter.
The incident has intensified a larger political dispute in Karnataka, where the BJP has accused the state government of designating farmland in multiple taluks as Waqf land, creating tensions within the farming community.
Recently, Jagadambika Pal, chairperson of the joint parliamentary committee reviewing the Waqf Amendment Bill, visited Karnataka at Surya’s invitation to meet with affected farmers.
On October 28, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Industries Minister MB Patil, and Housing and Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan dismissed the BJP’s claims as misinformation intended to incite fear among farmers.