Ancient Jain Temple In Kodavuru, Karnataka Taken Over By Waqf Board

In shocking development an ancient historic Jain Temple and its 67 cents of land has been taken over by Waqf Board in Kodavuru village Karnataka as per local media reports.

The ancient Jain temple at Kodavuru was sacked and vandalised by Tipu Sultan more than 200 years ago, the Jain temple and its premises consisting of 67 cents of land was under government control till 14th Januray 2021.

A Muslim man is said to have started living at the premises by putting up a small tent some years back. Within a period of time, many more Muslims started occupying the temple land. Recently they started claiming ownership of the place, following which the Waqf Board staked claim to the property and claimed ownership to it formally.

The ancient historic Jain Temple and its 67 cent land property in Kodavuru which was under the Revenue department of Karnataka government has now been transferred to the Waqf Board.

The Waqf Board took advantage of the Waqf Board Property Act,1995 which provides that any property claimed by the Waqf Board can only be challenged in a Waqf Tribunal set under the Act and the decision of the said Tribunal would be final and binding.

A person or organisation who is aggrieved with the taking of a property by the Waqf Board cannot approach the regular civil courts to address the illegality. The decision of the Waqf Tribunal is also final and cannot be challenged in any civil courts. These provisions in law makes it easier for conversion of lands under Hindu, Jain temples and places of worship very vulnerable to the claims and systematic occupation by the Waqf.

Notably, there is also a small Hindu temple adjacent to the ancient Jain temple at Kodavuru which is also now taken over by the Waqf Board.

The Hindu and Jain community in Karnataka have vociferously voiced their protest against the systematic usurpation of their temples and lands by the Waqf. The local Hindus and Jains have approached the District Collector of the area and complained against the gross injustice of taking over of the historic ancient Jain temple and Hindu temple with its adjacent lands by the Waqf Board.

The DC of the area has promised to look into the matter and take appropriate measures. The Jain community leaders have in their written complaints also asked the government authorities to revoke the awarding of the ancient historic Jain temple and its 67 cents land to the Waqf Board and hand it over to the Jain community as it violates their fundamental rights to pray, worship, own and manage their religious places of worship. The Hindu community has also joined with the Jains to complain the take over of Hindu temple adjacent to the ancient Jain temple now under the Waqf Board and sought its restoration to the Hindus at the earliest.

This incident proves how systematically Land Jihad operates to take over land and temples of Hindus by a missionary zeal aided and abetted by our own government in independent India. So, whether it is Tipu Sultan times or today’s modern times Hindus are losing their lands and pious temples to a predatory community by their own lax attitude.

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