Kerala | Waqf land stir in Munambam turns into major political row ahead of bypolls

Amid the ongoing campaign for by-polls in the state, an agitation by more than 600 families of Munambam, a coastal village in the suburbs of Kochi in Kerala, against the Waqf board's claim on their land is turning into a major political controversy.

In an attempt to placate the agitators, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) assured them that their claim over land would be protected even if the outcome of the case turned out to be against their interests. The United Democratic Front (UDF), on the other hand, is blaming the LDF for the plight of the people, most of whom are fishermen.

Not surprisingly, the BJP is trying to capitalize on the resentment brewing among the people in the Christian-dominated region against the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF, which are opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill.

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BJP eyes political gains

The Catholic church recently hailed the BJP in its mouthpiece for bringing in Waqf Amendment bill and also flayed the LDF and the UDF for unanimously passing a resolution in the Kerala Assembly against the bill. The move has come as a boost for the saffron party in the southern state ahead of the bypolls.

Sensing an opportunity to mobilise support before voting for bypolls, the BJP’s Minority Morcha is holding a demonstration over the issue in front of the government secretariat on Saturday. Union Minister and BJP's lone MP from Kerala Suresh Gopi also paid a visit to the agitators, who are on an indefinite hunger strike, on Friday, and assured them the Centre's support. He said all Waqf encroachments across the country would be resolved once the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament and signed into law.

Congress resists BJP bid

Meanwhile, in an apparent move aimed at resisting the BJP’s bid to cash in on the controversy, Opposition leader VD Satheesan on Friday assured his complete support to the Munambam residents, saying that “they are undoubtedly the owners of the land”.

Blaming the LDF, he also said that it was during the term of the Left Front government in 1995 that the land in dispute was initially considered as Waqf land. The present LDF government could direct the Waqf Board not to stake claim over the property, he said.

Talking to reporters on Friday, Satheesan said the government can solve the issue within 10 minutes if it really wanted. “I had attended the meeting at Munambam to declare solidarity with the agitations. People were living in the area before land transactions and such land cannot be declared as Waqf property,” he said.

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“Waqf land should be unconditional but there are conditions in the documents of the land. Moreover, the Farooque College management had sold portions of the land. Waqf property cannot be subjected to financial transactions,” he said.

Asserting that the issue has nothing to do with the new Waqf Act, Satheesan said the UDF government had taken a stand that it is not a Waqf land.

The controversy

In 2019, the protesting families alleged that their land was claimed by the Waqf board. In 2022, they were told that they cannot pay the land tax on their properties. Following this, the Kerala government intervened and allowed them to pay the tax.

However, the Waqf Samrakshana Samithi (Waqf protection committee), challenged the move in the Kerala High Court. The High Court then paused the Kerala government's decision to allow the protesting families to pay tax.

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According to the families, their land was given to Farooque College by one Siddique Sait in 1950 for educational purposes. They claim that it was not Waqf land and they paid for the land to the college management.

The government has maintained that it will protect the people in Munambam and did not comment on the matter as it was pending in the high court.