Munambam Dispute, Waqf Bill And BJP's Fawning Over Christian Community

Kochi, Kerala: An intense exchange of words occurred in Rajya Sabha during the Waqf Amendment Bill debate on the Munambam land dispute in Kerala.

On Thursday, CPI(M)’s John Brittas targeted Union Minister Suresh Gopi for shedding ‘crocodile tears’ over the disputed land, where around 600 families – most of them Christians – have been protesting against the eviction threat on the land they have been living on for years.

Originally donated as Waqf by Siddique Sait in 1950 to Farook College for educational and charitable purposes, the Munambam land was arguably purchased by the ancestors of the residents living in the region through unauthorised transactions, leading to the legal dispute.

The disputes over the control of the land  surfaced in 1960s for the first time, with tenants challenging Farook College’s authority. In 1967, a case was filed in the Subordinate Judge’s Court in Paravur, questioning the Waqf status of the land. The court confirmed that the property was indeed Waqf land dedicated to educational purposes. This ruling was also upheld by the Kerala High Court in 1975, hence reinforcing the Waqf status of the land.

Notably, in 2022, the Kerala high court briefly allowed residents to resume paying property taxes, seemingly  validating their claims to the land. However, this ruling was later stayed following an appeal by the Kerala Waqf Protection Forum, especially provided that some portions of the land could have been illegally encroached or occupied by some land mafia.

The Waqf Board’s claim and the subsequent Court order over the land made the property sales void, with which the residents became unable to pay their taxes at the village office recently.

The affected locals then took out protest march, questioning the power of the Waqf board to claim their land. Meanwhile, the BJP, which is yet to make inroads in Kerala, seized the moment to woo the Christian community in the state by offering support to the protest, claiming that the Waqf amendment Bill, introduced by the Union Government last year, would address their concerns.

Read Also: Explained: What Is Munambam Waqf Issue In Kerala?

Visiting the protesting site in 2024, BJP’s Suresh Gopi had assured the residents that once the Waqf bill is passed, they will have complete rights on their lands.

During the Waqf debate in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Suresh Gopi invoked the Munambam issue, while targeting Kerala’s government for passing resolutions against the Waqf amendment bill.

With the bill being passed in both houses, the residents of Munambam conducted a celebration march, hailing the Union Government. The opposition parties, including Kerala’s dominant fronts – LDF and UDF MPs – voted against the Bill, despite the Catholic bishops’ forum warning them against opposing the Waqf amendment bill. After BJP state president visited Munambam following the passage of bill, several protesters reportedly joined the saffron camp.

The CPI(M) and the Congress have maintained that the bill could not resolve the Munambam issue through Waqf Amendment Bill, alleging that the BJP is trying to bank on the Christian community.

While speaking in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, the CPIM’s John Brittas responded to Suresh Gopi’s rhetoric by comparing him to a character in the controversial Empuraan movie, Munna: “You can see a Munna on the BJP benches. Malayalis will figure it out. Kerala will figure it out. That is Kerala’s history. Kerala will keep your poison out,” the MP said.

Munna’s character in the movie is of a backstabber who, in the disguise of helping, initially appeared innocent and then deceived the people who trusted him. Brittas then said that the people of Kerala have the sense to understand manipulative worry of the BJP over Christian community.

Read Also: Why Kerala Catholic Body Is Asking MPs To Support Waqf Amendment Bill

The left MP further pointed out increasing attacks against the Christian community in Manipur and several other parts of the country by the right-wing group, while rebuking Suresh Gopi’s concerns about Munambam as ‘crocodile tears’. He also asserted that none in Munambam will lose their land, stating that it is Kerala government’s promise.

Reacting to the passage of the contentious bill, Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev alleged that the BJP is trying to fish in the troubled water, adding that the issue is complex. “What I understand is that the Bill has no retrospective effect. It will not be binding on already registered properties. How will the existing issues (such as Munambam) be solved?” the minister asked.

Notably, all parties involved now agree that the rights of the residents of the Munambam coast must be respected, given their deep-rooted connection to the land.

Several Muslim bodies and political parties, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Congress and the left parties have given assurance that the Munambam issue would be resolved without hurting the residents.

The Kerala government has convened meetings with the Waqf Board and other concerned ministries to resolve the issue. Muslim bodies and the opposition leaders have also expressed their support to the government in this regard.

However, with reports of some portions being illegally occupied, there must be assessment to identify and reclaim them. The Kerala High Court is currently reviewing multiple petitions from different stakeholders in connection with the dispute