Karnataka BJP leaders protest, urge Kumaraswamy government to table 'wakf report'

BJP leaders, led by spokesperson Anwar Manipaddy, took to the streets in Bengaluru and protested against the HD Kumaraswamy-led state government on Friday, hitting out at the JD(S)-Congress alliance for not tabling the 'wakf report'. The protesters shouted slogans and accused the government of protecting the corrupt.

Backed by the likes of BJP MLA CT Ravi, leader of opposition in legislative council Srinivas Poojary and former Karnataka Deputy Chief Ministers R Ashoka, the protest went on till afternoon. The leaders slammed the government for not tabling Anwar Manippady's report on alleged wakf irregularities in the assembly, although it was submitted to the government way back in 2012.

The report was prepared by Former Chairman of Karnataka minorities commission Anwar Manipaddy during the previous Siddaramiah-led Congress government. But on the face of it, no action was taken even after the report was handed over. 

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In the report, Manipaddy had alleged that properties belonging to the wakf board were encroached and sold by some people in power. The alleged land scam is estimated to run into several crores of rupees.

Recently the Karnataka High Court rapped the government for not tabling the report. 

Speaking to Republic TV Anwar Manipaddy said, "this is a slap on the face of the government. There are many tall leaders from the previous government whose names have been mentioned in the report. The government is delaying in tabling the report only to protect them."

With the Lok Sabha elections around the corner, if the allegations made in the report are proved, it could spell doom to the electoral dreams of the Congress party, which, while still in power, saw its majority shrink in the recent elections.

BJP leaders have warned of escalating the protests if the government does not table the wakf report anytime soon. They've also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. 

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