The people of Munambam held a torch rally on November 22.
In Munambam, 38 km from Kochi in Ernakulam district of Kerala, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, this pain is not for one or two people but for 610 families. It includes 510 Christian and 100 Hindu families. These people have been fighting a legal battle for nearly 60 years for the 404 acres of land known as the Munambam property.
According to people, he bought this land from Farooq College Management. In 2019, the Waqf Board registered his land as a Waqf property. Now they are demanding the government to evict the people.
Protests against the Waqf Board have been going on for the last two years in Munambam. This controversy has intensified since last two months. The reason is the central government's Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which is likely to be passed in the budget session next year.
People of Munambam are holding prayer meetings in churches to get this bill passed in Parliament. They say they cannot challenge the board's claim because of the existing Waqf Act. When the new bill comes into effect, waqfs will not be able to take over their land.
People said – two years ago the revenue department said that the land is not ours Joseph Beni, coordinator of Samar Samiti (Action Council), who lives in Munambam, said, 'Most of the people living here belong to the fishing community. I am also from the same community. I was born here. We have the land documents. They used to pay land tax for years. In 2022 we were told that we will not be able to pay taxes. Also no one can sell or mortgage the land.
“When there was a ban on paying land tax, we went to the High Court. The Single Bench of the High Court gave us all the rights, but the Division Bench stayed the decision. We cannot pay tax from 2022 onwards. There are several cases pending in the Single Bench, Division Bench and Waqf Tribunal of the Kerala High Court regarding the Munambam property dispute.
Stephen V Devasya, a 52-year-old logistics professional, said, 'Our forefathers used to live here. We bought the land from Farooq College. We have the documents. Paying tax for 33 years. Now after all these years the waqf board is saying that this is its property. We cannot even fight the case in court, because in such cases we have to go to Waqf Tribunal.
After buying land from college, how to claim waqf? The question may arise in your mind that if people bought the land from Farooq College Management why suddenly Wakf Board started claiming it. The question is legitimate, but to answer it one needs to know the history of Munambam.
'Where was the waqf when a waterlogged place was filled with sand and made habitable?' Omana Yayi, 68, has been a native of Munambam for 50 years. He got married here. He said, 'When the land was bought from the people of the college, it was flooded. We used to go fishing at midnight. They used to bring sand on their heads while returning. Water was removed by filling the soil with sand. Then this place became habitable. Now suddenly where did waqf come from?
Such is the story of 65-year-old Cicely Antoni. He said, 'I have lived here for almost 42 years. There was no money to buy land from Farooq College. Earned money by working hard day and night. Purchase of land. At that time we did not know about the Waqf Board. Now the land is not even worth a penny.
'Couldn't sleep peacefully for two and a half years due to fear of losing home' 56-year-old Ambujakshan said, 'For the last two and a half years, we have not been able to sleep peacefully. Our revenue rights have been terminated. We fishermen can't even sleep because we have to go to the sea at any time of the day or night due to work. A person sleeps peacefully when he comes home. We have no home, so how can we sleep peacefully?
Benny Kallungal said that he came to Munambam when he was ten years old. Now his age is 62 years. He said, 'Earlier we lived in a crude house. Since I was a child, our family was fighting a land case with Farooq College. The college won the case in 1975. After which we bought the land from the college people at double the price. We have the right to own the land.
Sindhu, a 54-year-old labourer, said, 'I have no money for my children's education or marriage. Wanted to take a loan from the bank by mortgaging the land, but now we can't even do that.
The case is pending in Kerala High Court and Tribunal Joseph Benny and seven others filed a petition in the Kerala High Court against the Waqf Board's claim in June 2024. He said that the Waqf Tribunal cannot be empowered to decide cases of land occupied by people of non-Islamic faith.
The petitioners said that the civil court has jurisdiction to adjudicate land dispute cases. Waqf falls under the personal law of Muslims, so it cannot decide the affairs of any other religious community.
The High Court has sought a response from the state and central governments on the petition of the people of Munambam by November 1, 2024. On the other hand, two petitions of Farooq College management against the Waqf Board were scheduled to be heard in the Waqf Tribunal on December 6. It was also postponed till 27th December.
The CM said- Those with documents will not be evicted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held an online meeting with Waqf Board representatives on November 23. In this he asked the people of Munambam to stop sending notices or taking any other action.
The CM later released a statement saying, 'No one with documents will be evicted from the land. The government is looking for a solution so that the residents are not left in trouble.
In Kerala, opposition and opposition face off against the bill On October 14, the Kerala Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the Centre's new bill. Both the ruling party and the opposition said the new law would take away the powers of state governments and waqf boards.
The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is in power in Kerala. The United Democratic Front (UDF) is the opposition party led by the Congress.
BJP MP said – bringing a new bill will end the cruelty BJP's lone MP in Kerala and Union Minister Suresh Gopi went to Munambam on October 30 and met the protesters. During an election rally in Wayanad on November 11, he said, 'This brutality is not only in Munambam, but all over India. It will be removed. Tough decisions will be taken. BJP will pass a new bill in Parliament to save the Constitution.
Congress said- Sangh is trying to divide Muslims and Christians On the Wakf Board's claim in Munambam, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and Congress leader VD Satisan said on December 3, 'The 404 acres of land claimed by the Wakf Board was gifted to Farooq College as its property. which he sold. In return he also got money. Then how can waqf claim? It is not waqf land. Sangh Parivar is trying to divide Muslims and Christians in Kerala.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
