Kerala Congress (Joseph faction) MP Francis George announced his support for the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament, pledging to take a positive stand on the matter. Speaking at the 100th day of the Munambam land struggle, organized under the leadership of the Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS), George emphasized his commitment to justice and fairness, declaring that his party is ready to cooperate with anyone to uphold these principles. His statement was met with jubilation by the people of Munambam.
George also urged the central government not to succumb to pressure and to move forward with presenting the Waqf Amendment Bill.
The Land Conservation Committee has joined the call for amendments to the Waqf Act, emphasizing the need to align the legislation with the Constitution, secularism, and democracy.
The committee plans to send an open letter to all political parties in India and every Member of Parliament from Kerala on Republic Day, demanding changes to specific sections of the existing Waqf Act. The sections highlighted for amendment include 3, 36, 40, 52, 83, 84, 107, and 108.
The letter argues that there is substantial evidence to prove that the disputed land at Munambam is not Waqf land. It cites a 1950 document authored by Siddique Settu, which was referenced in a Kerala High Court case. The High Court had noted that merely labeling a property as waqf does not automatically make it so. Two specific conditions in the 1950 document—allowing the sale of the property and mandating its return to the original family under certain circumstances—were cited as contradicting the fundamental principles of Waqf.
The letter also challenges the Waqf Board’s 2019 order to acquire the Munambam properties. According to the Land Conservation Committee, this order was based on a misinterpretation of a Paravur Sub-Court judgment from 12 September 1971. The protest committee clarified that the judgment in question was merely an injunction suit and did not declare the land as waqf property.
The day-and-night protest at Munambam has marked 100 days of resistance, with support from various groups, including ACTS and the Land Conservation Committee. Protesters have consistently highlighted their demand for a fair resolution to the dispute and greater transparency in waqf-related matters.
(With inputs from South Live)
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