Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has said that the Waqf Amendment Act will not fully resolve the long-standing Munambam land dispute, urging residents to continue their legal battle in the Supreme Court—despite the fact that he and his party had earlier claimed, even in Parliament, that the new Act would resolve the Munambam issue.
Speaking at a press conference in Kochi before inaugurating a BJP-organised mass gathering titled ‘Thank You Modi’ in Munambam, Rijiju hinted that the residents of Munambam may have to take legal recourse for addressing the vexing issue as the matter was pending before judicial fora. “The newly constituted Waqf Board and the changes to be introduced in the tribunal’s structure may ultimately benefit the residents. Since the matter is pending before the judicial fora, one cannot resort to any shortcuts to address the concerns,” he said.
The minister’s remarks have sparked disappointment among Munambam residents, who had hoped the amendment would secure their land rights. The BJP in Kerala had previously claimed the law would help approximately 600 families living on 404 acres reclaim their land—a promise that garnered support from several churches.
Notably, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), a powerful organisation of Catholic bishops in Kerala belonging to the Syro-Malabar, Latin, and Syro-Malankara Churches, had asked MPs from the state to vote in favour of the Waqf Amendment Bill, which has faced opposition from both the Congress and the Left.
However, Rijiju said that while the amendment might aid the ongoing court case, it is not a complete solution. When pressed on which section of the law would empower residents to reclaim their land with revenue rights, the minister offered no specific answer, reiterating only that the Act would provide “some relief” in court.
He described Munambam as “just one of thousands of complaints” and claimed the amendment would prevent similar disputes in the future.
The statement has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders and protesters.
Ernakulam DCC President Mohammed Shiyas accused the BJP of misleading the public, stating, “The BJP was fooling the poor fishermen. They implemented the Waqf Amendment Act claiming it would solve the Munambam issue, but now the Union Minister himself admits it’s a fraud.”
Shiyas further alleged that the BJP and CPM were exploiting the situation to create communal tensions, saying, “They are vultures waiting for conflict between Christians and Muslims.”
Joseph Benny, a representative of the Munambam protesters, expressed deep disappointment, noting that residents had pinned their hopes on the amendment.
“From 1953 to 1987, we fought for 34 years and paid to buy our own land. Now, being told to return to the Supreme Court disrupts our peace,” said Benny, who earlier supported the Hindu nationalist party over the Waqf Amendment Act, to reporters.
He added that the community feels marginalised and is now looking to the Kerala government’s judicial commission for a solution.
Benny also criticised provisions like including non-Muslims in waqf boards but stressed that Section 40, which protesters have long opposed, needs reform.
The Munambam dispute has been a contentious issue, with residents arguing that the waqf law has hindered their land rights.
In 1950, a man named Siddhique Sait gifted the property to Farook College – a prominent higher educational institution run by a Muslim management – which in turn sold the property in the 1960s. The current residents claim that their predecessors have brought the property from Farook College. In 2019, the Waqf Board declared it Waqf property, halting land tax payments and threatening evictions. Notably, the case is currently pending in front of the Waqf tribunal.
While the BJP’s earlier assurances had rallied support from some Christian communities, Rijiju’s latest comments have left many feeling betrayed.
