Kerala Land Dispute Protest Ends After 414 Days, New Protest Emerges
After 414 days of protests, residents of Munambam in Kerala's Ernakulam district have called off their agitation regarding a land dispute. This decision follows a Kerala High Court directive instructing the state Revenue Department to accept land tax from the residents.
Background of the Dispute
The Kerala State Waqf Board has claimed ownership of the 404 acres of land for a long time. Approximately 600 families, predominantly from the Christian community, have inhabited this land for generations. The core issue revolves around the Waqf Board's acquisition of the land's title deeds, which the residents have been contesting.
Resolution and New Agitation
Joseph Benny, chairperson of the Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samithi (Munambam Land Protection Committee), stated that the protest was called off because families began obtaining revenue rights following the High Court's order. However, a separate group has initiated a new agitation, alleging that ending the initial protest is a betrayal.
Key Developments
- High Court Order: Directed the Revenue Department to accept land tax from residents.
- Land Tax Payments: Around 250 families have paid their land tax after the court order, according to Joseph Benny.
- Catholic Church Support: The Catholic Church has supported the committee's decision to end the agitation.
- Future Steps: The committee is collecting details of families without mutation certificates to resolve the issue completely.
Political Reactions
Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev and Revenue Minister K Rajan attended the event where the decision to end the agitation was announced.
However, the Christian Association and Alliance for Social Action (CASA), a pro-BJP Christian group, criticized the decision, alleging it was a staged event by CPI(M), Congress, Muslim League, and certain priests, aimed at influencing upcoming local body elections. CASA also stated that people who withdrew from the original protest have started a new one.
National Context
The Munambam agitation gained national attention when Parliament passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in April. The BJP highlighted this amendment as a measure to provide justice to the people of Munambam, aiming to attract the Christian community in Kerala. Following the Bill's passage, 50 Christian families joined the BJP.
High Court's Stance
Last month, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court addressed the disputed land's classification, stating that the Waqf Deed of 1950 was intended as a gift deed to Farook College Management in Kozhikode, not a permanent dedication to God. The court emphasized that the college management sold the land to the current occupants and that merely naming the deed a Waqf endowment does not grant it Waqf status.
Current Status
Following the High Court directive, the Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samithi appealed to the High Court, seeking a direction for the Revenue Department to accept land tax from residents. The court provisionally allowed the collection of land tax, pending a Supreme Court review scheduled for December 17.
