Union Minister visits families in Kerala village agitating over Waqf land claim

Union Minister Suresh Gopi assured over 600 families protesting against the Waqf Board's claim over their land that the Narendra Modi-led government will support them and resolve their problems.

In Short

• Suresh Gopi said Centre committed to resolving issues on Waqf land claims
• Families were allowed to pay tax but High Court paused Kerala government's move
• Controversy comes amid tussle between Centre, opposition over Waqf bill

Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Wednesday met 610 families of Munambam village in Kerala's Ernakulam district who are protesting against the Waqf board's claim over their land and said the Centre was committed to resolving the issue. These families are demanding revenue rights over their land claimed by the Waqf board.

Suresh Gopi, who is BJP's first MP from Kerala, said the Narendra Modi-led government will support the protesters and resolve their problems. He said all Waqf encroachments across the country would be resolved once the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament and signed into law.

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.

According to the families, their land was given to Farooque College by one Siddique Sait in 1950 for educational purposes. They say 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.

The controversy comes amid a tussle between the BJP MPs and the opposition during Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meetings on the Waqf (Amendment) bill.

The Waqf bill proposes inclusion of two women members on all state Waqf boards as well as on the Central Council.