Congress MLA B.R. Patil has sought the intervention of senior party leader Rahul Gandhi over the Karnataka government’s failure to restore restrictions on agricultural land purchases, reminding the Congress leadership of its own 2023 Assembly election manifesto. In a memorandum dated September 29, Patil questioned why the state government had not acted on its promise to revisit amendments to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961.
The Aland MLA, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission, has urged the party’s central leadership to take up the issue and ensure that safeguards removed during the previous BJP government are restored.
Patil Questions Delay in Implementing Congress Promise
Patil’s letter focuses on Sections 79A, 79B and 79C of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, which were repealed through amendments introduced by the BJP government in 2020.
The Congress had promised in its 2023 Assembly election manifesto to repeal what it described as “anti-farmer laws” introduced by the previous government and restore protections under the land reforms legislation.
However, Patil said a recent reply from the Karnataka Revenue Department in the Legislative Assembly confirmed that there was currently no proposal before the government to reinstate the three provisions.
The MLA has questioned the delay, particularly as the Congress has been in power in Karnataka for more than three years.
Concerns Over Agricultural Land Transfers
Patil cited figures indicating that nearly 19.92 lakh acres of agricultural land were sold and transferred in Karnataka between 2021 and August 2026.
According to the data he referred to, North Karnataka accounted for around 60 per cent of the recorded land sales. Vijayapura reported approximately 2.04 lakh acres, followed by Kalaburagi with 1.81 lakh acres, Belagavi with 1.31 lakh acres, Raichur with 1.19 lakh acres and Tumakuru with 1.01 lakh acres.
Patil has warned that the removal of earlier restrictions could increase pressure on small and marginal farmers to sell their land, particularly those facing debt and agricultural distress.
He has also raised concerns that large-scale land transfers and conversion of farmland for non-agricultural purposes could affect the state’s long-term food security.
What the Repealed Sections Provided
Before the 2020 amendments, Sections 79A and 79B restricted agricultural land purchases based on income and the buyer’s status as an agriculturist. Section 79C dealt with declarations and proceedings related to violations of the relevant provisions.
The amendments removed these restrictions, allowing non-agriculturists to purchase agricultural land and removing the earlier income limit for buyers.
Patil has argued that the changes could weaken protections intended to prevent the concentration of agricultural land and protect smaller farming households.
He also recalled the land reform legacy of former Karnataka Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs, whose reforms were associated with the principle of “land to the tiller”.
Priyank Kharge Defends Patil’s Letter
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge backed Patil’s decision to write to Rahul Gandhi, saying party leaders were free to raise concerns with the Congress high command.
“There is nothing wrong in writing to our own leader. If we don’t write to our own leader, who else should we write to?” Kharge said, referring to the RSS state headquarters in Bengaluru in his remarks.
Patil has sought an immediate review by the Congress central leadership and the state government, a comprehensive assessment of agricultural land transfers and a legislative roadmap for restoring Sections 79A, 79B and 79C with appropriate safeguards.
Land Reform Debate Returns to Karnataka Politics
The issue has brought renewed attention to the Congress government’s election commitments and the debate over agricultural land ownership in Karnataka.
Patil’s intervention places the focus on whether the state government will reconsider the 2020 amendments and how it intends to address concerns about farmland transfers.
The Congress leadership and Karnataka government now face questions over the timeline and policy approach for fulfilling the manifesto commitment cited by the MLA.