Following the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, as reported by the Indian Express, leaders from the BJP’s Kerala unit visited Munambam, where a contentious 400-acre piece of land has been at the heart of the ongoing Waqf debate in the state. During the visit, 50 local individuals from the area joined the party.
For the past 174 days, approximately 600 families, predominantly Christian, have been protesting in the coastal village after the State Waqf Board claimed ownership of the 400 acres of land they have inhabited for generations.
After visiting Munambam, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar addressed local protesters, stating, “Today marks a significant day in the state’s political history. This protest has empowered the Prime Minister and Parliament to pass the amendment Bill. We stand with you until you reclaim the revenue rights to your land. This Bill has the potential to restore those rights. The people of Munambam have been betrayed by the MPs and MLAs they elected, but their voices have reached Parliament, representing a proud moment for Indian democracy.”
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church-affiliated Malayalam daily Deepika accused the Congress and the Left on Friday of attempting to create fear among minorities. The paper claimed that these parties, which rejected the Church’s call for their MPs to support amendments to the “anti-people sections” of the Waqf law, are drawing attention to Sangh Parivar attacks on Christians in North Indian states and Manipur.
The BJP is emphasizing that only the saffron party will support the cause of the people in Kerala, where both the CPI(M) and Congress are competing to champion the Muslim cause. Despite the LDF and UDF asserting their support for the people of Munambam, MPs from both fronts voted against the amendments to the bill.
In the initial stages of the agitation, both the CPI(M) and Congress opted to stay away from the local protest. However, they later became involved and expressed support for the occupiers’ cause once the BJP saw an opportunity to leverage the unrest in Munambam for political gain.
