Ernakulam: The Munambam land dispute over the Waqf claim has left both the ruling left government and the opposition congress party in a tight spot as various Christian groups and dioceses including the Catholic, Jacobite and others questioning the stance of the prominent parties after the Kerala assembly opposed the central Waqf amendment passed by the central government.
The Church’s sharp criticism of the legislators for unanimously passing a resolution in the Assembly against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 of the Union government, while more than 600 families are protesting over the Waqf claim over the land in Munambam coastal village has clearly put the CPM, Congress and the Muslim league in a back-foot as they feel the BJP and the Sangh Parivar could take political mileage in the issue.
The ‘Munambam samarasamithi’ and the unconditional support provided to the families not just by the BJP, but by different Christian sections including the catholic and the Jacobite has now forced the allies of the LDF – the Kerala Congress(M) and other factions of the Kerala Congress to flex their muscles and thereby demand the CPM and the Congress to openly support the protesting families and thus take a stand against the Waqf board claims in Munambam.
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership has already felt the heat on the Munambam issue when VD Satheeshan, leader of opposition and Congress leader has appealed the Chief Minister to convene a meeting on the issue and try to find an amicable solution. Satheeshan has requested the Chief minister to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the Munambam land issue.
“This is an issue that can be resolved in 10 minutes. Efforts to create communal divisions and conflicts in the society using this issue should be avoided at any cost. To resolve an issue that affects an entire community, the government should come forward and convene an all-party meeting and find a solution”, the letter by VD Satheeshan to CM Vijayan said.
Meanwhile, IUML leadership under Panakkad Thangal also convened a meet of 15 Muslim groups in Kozhikode urging the government to convene an all-party meet to resolve the land dispute in an amicable manner.
“We urge the government to look into the matter and find a solution and hence avoid communal groups taking mileage”, said PK Kunhalikutty, senior IUML leader.
Meanwhile, priests belonging to the Latin church has lashed out at the Congress and the CPM for being silent on the matter. The demand both the parties should intervene in the matter and ensure that the land rights are restored completely with the 610 families residing in the Munambam Panchayat.
