KOCHI: The Munambam land dispute has taken a new turn with the Waqf Board registering the 404 acres in question on the Union government’s Umeed portal, the database for waqf properties across the country. Munambam residents, however, remain positive of a favourable outcome, with their hopes hinging on the reconstitution of the Waqf Board.
A source with the Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS) told TNIE that a state government official had hinted that the current Waqf Board would soon be dismissed. Recently, ACTS representatives had held a meeting with Chief Minister V D Satheesan and discussed the Munambam issue.
According to ACTS general secretary George Sebastian, CM Satheesan said he would deliver on his promise. “He assured us that he stands firm on his opinion that Munambam land is not waqf property. He will get the residents the justice that has been promised to them.”
Joseph Benny, convener of the Munambam Land Protection Council, said the Waqf Board move was not unanticipated.
“Way back in 2019, the board had registered the Munambam land in the waqf register. That was an illegal move. Now, the board’s decision to enter the details of the Munambam land in the Umeed portal is yet another instance of an illegal act. Both actions will soon be negated,” Joseph added.
According to George, the board’s action comes even as the case is being heard by the Waqf Tribunal. “It should be understood that once the board submits its annual report, the state government can raise questions over the irregularities in the entries and throw the report out, besides dissolving the current board to form a new one,” he said.
As to whether the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) would object to any decision to negate the board’s claims that the land is waqf, both Joseph and George said that even P K Kunhalikutty, the IUML national general secretary, had been endorsing CM Satheesan’s stand. “Of course, there are some in the party who disagree with such a declaration, but a majority of IUML leaders have been endorsing our claim,” Joseph said.
Further, he said the current situation is an aftereffect of the Waqf Board meeting held on April 26.
“At the meeting, it was decided to add all the property information included in the waqf register to the Umeed portal. The last date for adding details to the Umeed portal was earlier fixed as May 17, but that has now been extended by a month. The 404.76 acres in Munambam were illegally included in the waqf register as number 41 in 2019,” Joseph said.
He said the Waqf Board was trying to complicate the Munambam issue further by engaging in illegal activities.
“The Munambam Land Protection Council has decided to submit a memorandum to the chief minister, demanding the dissolution of the Kerala Waqf Board which is taking incomplete and wrong decisions,” Joseph said.
Meanwhile, a senior lawyer with the Kerala High Court said the state government can reconstitute the Waqf Board if it finds that any irregularities have been committed.
“There are legal provisions. However, the reconstitution will have to be done legally,” he added.