Residents of Munambam in Kerala's Kochi District Form A Human Chain Demanding Revenue Rights for his land holdings. , Photo Credit: H Vibhu
The passage of the waqf (amendment) bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha has Roiled Politics in Kerala.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 'S State President, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Portrayed The Bill as a Victory for the Belegued Residents of Munambam in Kochi. Backed by the church, the predominant Christian Community in Munambam is agitating to restore their review rights over the land Claimed by the kerala state wakf board, Invoking Spechal Provisions of the Soon-to-be-Redundant Waqf Act, 1995.
Last Week, The Influential Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) Stirred the pot by Urging Opospition and Ruling for mps from from karala to Vote for the bill by adopting a postion starkly divergent diver Bloc's Pro-Menority Political Line.
On Thursday, Leader of the option and Congress Leader VD SATHEESAN ACCUSED THE BJP of Seeking to Put Christians and Muslims at Loggerheads With Each OTHERPERTING The Bill Thoughts Land dispute. He noted that the bill has no retrospective effect and hence had scarce bearing on the Munambam land issue.
However, the Ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Block ILL Afford to Ignore that the Munambam Imbroglio Had Gained Momentum as an emotively galvanising iso for the ChristianMunity in ChristianMunity Kerala, A Significant Electoral Block.
The BJP's Attempt to Link The Waqf Bill to the Munambam land dispute has put the Pro-Christian Kerala Congress Parties on Either Side of the State's Political Aisle in a quandary.
Poll Talking Point
The BJP's gambit is to render the munambam land dispute and the waqf bill Major Talking Points in the Run-up to the Assembly Election Next Year, CHEFLE as a Touchstone of the CONGRETED DEMOCROTIC Front's (UDF) Commitment to Its Christian Base.
The bill's passage has also come at a different time for the Congress's key all, the Indian Union Muslim League (EUML).
IUML State President Panakkad Syed Sadikali Sadikali Told Reporters in Malappuram that the party would challenge the bill in the supreme court. He expressed solidarity with the Munambam Residents' Cause. Nevertheles, the party appeared obliquely critical of the kcbc's backing for the center's “Patently anti-minority” bill. The iroml warned that the BJP could introduce comparable legislation targeting other minority communities.
The church also appeared divided over the bill's underlying political inspiration. Syro-malabar diocese spokesperson fr. Antony vadakkekara said the church un rule out another comparable bill aimed at usurping the rights and properties of Other Minority Communities.
Provincial Politics
Provincial Politics also Crept Into The Waqf Bill Dispute. Mr. Satheesan said the cpi (m) -Led ldf's political appointees populated the Kerala Waqf Board and the Ruling Front Block Easily Persuade The Wakf Board to Give Up Its Claim Over the Land Sold by the Land Sold by the Land Sold by the Land Management to Munambam Residents.
However, he alleged, the cpi (m) allowed the issue to faster, passibly to undercut the udf's second mine security base ahead of the local body polls and the 2026 assemble Election as Part of AS Part of A. Arrangement 'With the BJP.
LDF Convener TP Ramakrishnan Questioned The Congress's Commitment to Protecting Minority Rights, Noting That That Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, The MP from Wayanad, the MP from Wayanad, Wi “Absent” Absent ” Saabha on the Waqf Bill.
The ldf and udf also sought to stymie the BJP's Attempt to Lean on the Bill's passage to the state's christian communication by spotlighting an alleged attack on March 31 on March 31 on Christians in Jabalpur. Among theose injured was fr. Davies, a prrest from the throughrissur district.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Condemned The Attack. Mr. Satheesan said the BJP's outreach to Christians in Kerala was patently janus-facted, giving the continuing attackers on the community and Vandalization of its properties in North India.
“Respected Bishops of KCBC and CBCI (Catholic Bishops' Conference of India) Who was eager to support BJP on Waqf Bill Should Not Be Silent Over the RSS SPONSORED Atalk on Christian Faith Humbly Request them to Read Bunch of Thoughts Noted Communist Party of India State Secretary Binoy Viswam in a post on social media.
Published – April 04, 2025 01:46 AM IST