THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, in a scathing attack on the chief minister, alleged that Kerala has become the first non-BJP ruled state to implement the contentious Section 14 of the newly amended United Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act by deciding to nominate two non-Muslims to the State Waqf Board.
He also said that the position taken by the state government before the Kerala High Court in the case was the best example of the government’s service to the Sangh Parivar. “The government’s action amounts to surrendering before the Sangh Parivar agenda. Yet, the chief minister accuses me of promoting communal divisions whenever I raise the issue,” he said.
Pinarayi further said that the previous LDF government did not accept the Waqf Amendment Act passed by Parliament. The government had challenged it in the Supreme Court. The IUML had also filed a petition against the amended Act. However, when the tenure of the existing Waqf Board ended in February 2026, the government was forced to reconstitute the Board in accordance with the new Act.
“However, we did not fill the two posts meant for non-Muslims on the Board and instead challenged the Act in the Supreme Court. Appointing two non-Muslims would, in effect, amount to accepting the amended Act. The UDF government has now informed the Kerala High Court that it will fill the two posts reserved for non-Muslims,” he alleged.