IUML leaders meet Latin Catholic priests to resolve Munambam Waqf land dispute

Kochi, Nov 18 (PTI) The top leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) met Latin Catholic priests on Monday and held discussions to resolve the ongoing Waqf land issue in the coastal hamlet of Munambam in Ernakulam district.

Several families have been fighting against the Waqf Board's claim on their properties in Munambam, located about 35 km from Kochi, with the support of the Latin Catholic Church. They allege that the Waqf Board's claim is legally invalid.

IUML state chief Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and senior leader P K Kunhalikutty visited Verapoly Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil at the bishop's house.

Representatives of the Munambam Samara Samithi, a collective which has been staging protests, also reportedly took part in the discussion.

Bishop Kalathiparambil and Thangal later told reporters that their meeting was very warm and positive. Everybody who took part in the discussion wanted to resolve the issue as soon as possible through legal means and discussions, they said.

"Several good suggestions were made during the discussion. Our collective opinion is that there are legal and factual issues involved, and it is the government's responsibility to make effective interventions in the matter," Thangal said.

He also said those who took part in the meeting wanted the government to urgently convene a meeting of everyone involved in the issue and resolve it amicably.

Expressing happiness over the League leaders' visit, the bishop said it was proud to know that everybody was standing with them in the agitation. He said that the religious harmony of the land should be protected.

The meeting of the IUML leaders and church representatives came amidst growing resentment among a significant portion of the Christian population in the state regarding the LDF and UDF's stance on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by the BJP-led Centre.

The Congress -led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF had unanimously passed a resolution, recently, in the state assembly opposing the BJP-led Centre's Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which challenges provisions in the existing Waqf law.

In support of the bill, the Church has alleged that numerous properties belonging to Christian families for generations in the villages of Cherai and Munambam in the Ernakulam district have been unlawfully claimed by the Waqf Board using provisions of the existing Act.

People of these villages have alleged that the Waqf Board unlawfully claim their land and properties though they have registered deeds and land tax receipts.

Recently, the Syro-Malabar Church-backed Deepika daily in its editorial accused the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF of passing a unanimous resolution in the state Assembly "to protect the Waqf law without seeing the tears of the affected people." PTI LGK ADB