Waqf Land Claims Ignite Outrage as Kerala’s Christian Community Protests Alleged Encroachment
In Kerala’s Ernakulam district, a growing dispute over land ownership has ignited widespread protests. The Waqf Board recently claimed ownership of 404 acres in Munambam, impacting over 600 Christian families. In response, the Syro-Malabar Church organized solidarity events in nearly 1,000 churches across Kerala on Sunday, marking an intensifying movement for justice.
The All Kerala Catholic Congress (AKCC), a key community organization, is leading the demonstrations. After Sunday Mass, special prayers were held in churches to support affected families, many of whom hold registered property deeds and tax receipts but are still facing Waqf claims.
Syro-Malabar Church leaders, including Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, have called on both Union and State governments to address the matter. “This is a humanitarian issue that demands a solution in line with constitutional values,” said Archbishop Thattil after visiting hunger strike participants in Munambam.
Archbishop Dr. Joseph Kalathiparambil of the Varapuzha Latin Archdiocese echoed these calls, urging government leaders to take a moral stand. According to Dr. Kalathiparambil, land historically owned by the Christian community in Munambam cannot be labeled Waqf property, referencing discussions with government officials.
The controversy has intensified against the backdrop of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which has sparked opposition from both major state parties, the LDF and UDF. Recently, these parties passed a joint resolution against the bill in the Kerala Assembly. The Church has expressed concerns, arguing that current Waqf laws allow overreach by the Waqf Board, leading to unlawful land claims against Christian families in Cherai and Munambam.
In a recent editorial, Deepika, a newspaper affiliated with the Syro-Malabar Church, criticized the state parties for supporting the Waqf law without acknowledging its impact on affected families. Additionally, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council and the Syro-Malabar Church have appealed to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), stating that the Waqf Board’s claims are displacing rightful Christian landowners.
Church leaders, including Archbishop Andrews Thazath of the Syro-Malabar Public Affairs Commission, have raised the alarm over the potential eviction of 600 families from their ancestral land, as well as the threat to community institutions, including a Catholic parish, a convent, and a dispensary. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, President of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council, expressed similar concerns in his appeal to the JPC, noting the ongoing struggles of families in Munambam Beach since the Waqf Law was enforced in 2002.
Waqf and Haj Minister V. Abdurahiman has assured the public that the government will not enforce evictions, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution. Meanwhile, protest organizers from the Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samiti have pledged to continue their demonstrations until a just solution is reached.
