Madikeri: Former BJP MLAs KG Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan have alleged that a circular issued by the Congress govt has once again created confusion over the ownership of Jamma Bane land, a matter they said had been permanently resolved in 2024.Addressing a joint press conference in Madikeri, the former legislators urged the state govt not to mislead the public by claiming to have found a permanent solution to the long-standing issue.Bopaiah said the Jamma Bane land dispute is not new and became serious in 1983 after a member of the Kodava community approached the court regarding ownership and related matters. He stated that the court ruled there was no individual owner of Jamma Bane land and that tenants were granted only limited rights to use trees for greenery, firewood, and constructing houses for personal use. He further explained that in 2006, the then revenue officer issued a circular based on the court verdict, stating that Jamma Bane landholders could not become owners and were entitled only to limited special rights.“That circular was issued to trouble the people,” Bopaiah alleged, adding that he and Appachu Ranjan had formed a struggle committee to oppose it. The matter was also raised in the legislative assembly, he said.According to Bopaiah, after the BJP came to power in 2007, the circular was withdrawn within a month. He added that an amendment bill was passed in both the legislative assembly and the legislative council in 2011 and immediately forwarded to the governor. Though objections were raised initially, the amendment was later upheld by the court, he said.However, Bopaiah alleged that the issue has resurfaced due to a circular issued by the Congress govt concerning land transfers.Appachu Ranjan accused the Congress govt of taking political advantage of the situation by claiming credit for the amendments. He said there are records showing that Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and KJ George had supported the proposal in the legislative assembly during the BJP’s tenure. “We had already completed 99% of the rectification,” he claimed, alleging that politics was now being played to project the Congress govt as having resolved the issue.
