THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sticking to its standard response, the state government on Friday constituted a judicial commission to resolve the vexed Munambam waqf land row. However, residents at the disputed area rejected the decision, saying the move would only further delay a solution.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also decided to approach the High Court to vacate an injunction that prohibits the government from accepting land tax from the owners of the disputed properties.
Former acting chief justice of Kerala High Court C N Ramachandran would head the commission, tasked with studying all land-related matters at Munambam and verifying land records. The commission must submit its recommendations to the government within three months.
Rejecting the government’s move, Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samithi said it would intensify the agitation. “A decision will be taken on Saturday,” said Joseph Benny, convenor of the samithi.
Experts point out that the practice of constituting judicial commissions to address vexed issues has become the norm in the state. Most of the commissions have served only to delay solutions, they said.
Meanwhile, in what could be a major relief for the owners, the meeting attended by revenue, law and waqf ministers, Waqf Board chairman and the advocate general, decided not to serve legal notices to residents living on the disputed land in Munambam.
‘CM will soon hold talks with protesters’
“No action will be initiated to remove people who have valid land documents,” Law Minister P Rajeeve told reporters. The meeting requested the Waqf Board not to issue new notices to residents and not to start legal action to evict them, and the board agreed, he said.
The chief minister will soon hold talks with the protesters to explain the actions taken by the government, he said. The judicial commission will examine all aspects to amicably resolve the issues faced by the people who have land and legal documents, Rajeeve said. The government seeks to find a permanent solution to the issue. “There are nine cases in the Kerala High Court and two cases in the Waqf Tribunal related to the land issue at Munambam,” he said.
Listing the steps taken by the government, Revenue Minister K Rajan said that on October 7, 2022, the tahsildar had issued an order asking residents to pay taxes. “Though government had vacated a stay on the tax, it was reinstated by the HC. The state government is a party in that case. The government’s position is that deserving people should be given land documents,” he said.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said the government has been deliberately delaying a solution to help Sangh parivar forces to create communal polarisation.