Union Minister Suresh Gopi Supports Munambam Villagers In Land Dispute With Waqf Board

Union Minister Suresh Gopi met with 610 protesting families in Munambam village, Ernakulam district, Kerala, who are challenging the Waqf board's claim over their land. The families demand revenue rights, arguing that the land is not Waqf property. Gopi, the BJP’s first MP from Kerala, reassured the villagers that the Narendra Modi-led government is committed to resolving the issue and pledged support to address encroachments once the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is enacted.

The dispute dates back to 2019 when the families claimed their land was unjustly marked as Waqf property. In 2022, the Kerala government intervened, permitting the families to pay property taxes, a move later contested in the Kerala High Court by the Waqf Samrakshana Samithi (Waqf protection committee). Consequently, the court halted the tax payments until further notice.

Villagers argue that the land was originally given by Siddique Sait in 1950 for educational purposes to Farooque College, insisting it was not Waqf land and that they purchased it from the college management. The government has stated its commitment to protecting Munambam's residents, though it awaits the High Court’s pending decision.

The matter has also sparked tensions in Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) discussions on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which proposes adding two women members to all state Waqf boards and the Central Council.