Munambam issue: Ruling front, opposition in Kerala accuse Centre of hoodwinking Christian community
Over 600 families in Munambam have been on an indefinite agitation for the last 150 days for the reinstatement of their revenue rights regarding a 400-acre stretch of land where their houses are located, which has been declared an asset by Kerala's Waqf Board
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ruling CPM and opposition Congress in Kerala rejected the claim made by Centre that the Waqf amendment bill passed in Lok Sabha contained provisions to resolve the Munambam issue.
Over 600 families in Munambam have been on an indefinite agitation for the last 150 days for the reinstatement of their revenue rights regarding a 400-acre stretch of land where their houses are located, which has been declared an asset by Kerala's Wakf Board.
Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev criticised the Centre for allegedly deceiving the Christian community. He said the Act lacked provisions guaranteeing a permanent solution to the Munambam land issue.
He said the Act applied only to Waqf properties owned by the government. As the Act will be implemented without any retrospective effect, properties owned by private individuals were exempted. “The Centre is misleading Christians by claiming that the Waqf Act was introduced for their benefit,” he said.
Opposition leader V D Satheeshan the amendment to the Waqf Bill is part of the Sangh Parivar agenda to harm the rights of a religious community. With the Centre itself clarifying that the Bill has no retrospective effect, he sought to know from the BJP leaders as to how it will help the Munambam people.
Satheesan opined that the Munambam issue can only be resolved within the state itself. “If the state government and the Waqf Board appointed by them should take the initiative to resolve the issue,” he said.
He said the UDF has taken the position from the beginning that Munambam is not Waqf land. The Farook College land was given in exchange for money.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state president Sadiq Ali Shihab criticised the Centre for introducing the amendment bill without consulting the parties concerned. He warned that similar legislation such as Church Bills could be imposed in future.
Thangal said the state government was responsible for the delay in resolving the Munambam issue. “We have entrusted the task of resolving the Munambam issue to the state government and we have remained steadfast on this stand. We will continue discussions with the Christian community leaders to find an amicable resolution. However, we will not support any attempt to evict the residents of Munambam,” he said.
Munambam issue
Families affected in Munambam have not been allowed to pay property tax in accordance with the board's direction to the revenue department. This 400-acre land, occupied by the fishing community since the 1980s, originally belonged to the Travancore Royal Family.
It was leased out to a trader named Abdul Sathar Moosa Sait in 1902.
Later, a successor transferred the land to Farook College, a government-aided institution based in Kozhikode, established to empower socially backward classes.
A Wakf deed was registered in 1950 following this handover. A Waqf deed is a legal document that establishes the permanent dedication of property under Islamic law. Most families currently residing in Munambam are from the fishing community and belong to the Latin Catholic Church.
