Munambam-like incidents will not happen again: Kiren Rijiju

Kochi, April 15 (IANS) Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday assured that Munambam-like incidents in the country will not happen again with the passing of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

“I have come here for an important and sensitive issue. Land is the most precious thing for us. If you lose your land, you lose everything. That is why we have considered that in India, there should not be any provision for anybody to forcefully and unilaterally take away someone’s land. We must make laws to protect every inch of land for its rightful owner. We brought amendments to this law as earlier there were unprecedented powers given to Waqf,” said the Union Minister while addressing a press conference for more than an hour.

He added that there is a narrative that the Central government is against Muslims, but that is not true, while claiming that the BJP government is correcting the mistakes committed in the past and providing justice to people.

Rijiju was in the commercial capital of Kerala at Kochi, to inaugurate the BJP-led NDA’s ‘Thank You Modi’ meet at Munambam to thank PM Modi and the Centre for the Waqf Act that has been passed in both houses of the parliament early this month.

The Munambam land dispute pertains to the Kerala State Waqf Board laying claim to approximately 404 acres of land.

This land is home to over 600 families - primarily Christians from the Latin Catholic community and Hindus from backward sections - who say they have lived there for decades and legally purchased the land from Farook College.

Farook College, which once managed the land, has confirmed that it received the property as a gift and subsequently sold it. Despite this, the Waqf Board has contested the ownership, citing provisions in the current Waqf Act.

The Union Minister explained that the amendments were necessary as certain provisions in the Waqf Bill had granted unprecedented power and authority to the Waqf Boards.

“Unprecedented powers and authority were given to the Waqf Boards. They could declare any property as the Waqf. So we thought we should give justice to thousands of people who lost their land. Not targeted at Muslims, it’s just to provide justice. India has the largest Waqf property in the world, despite that the majority of Muslims do not get the benefits. This is not targeting any particular community,” he said.

He added that the Munambam case is one of them, and it came to the government’s notice when the BJP leaders in Kerala brought this to us.

“I was deeply upset when I heard that these 600 families who paid for the land and found they are going to lose it. From now on, there will be no arbitrary declaration of any property as Waqf,” he said.

The minister added that the survey commissioner has been replaced with the district collector, adding that from 2013 to 2025, more than 18 lakhs properties have been claimed.

“As a responsible government, we passed this Act, and in the future, we will not see a case like Munambam. We removed a provision if anyone just orally says this was a place where Nimaz was offered, and the Waqf can take over. Henceforth, if any property has to be declared Waqf, an oral declaration won’t work now. There must be a deed and a registered document,” he said.

He added that any property under dispute or sub-judice cannot be named as Waqf property, adding that the court will decide it, and the verification of the property has to be done by the district collector.

“Survey Commissioners in the past did it and they had their interest, while a Collector is a revenue official and does not belong to any political party,” he said.

The minister said that the government has made another provision in the new law that, in setting up a Waqf, a person has to be a practicing Muslim for five years.

“There were no checks and balances in the law before. Now, if a land is owned by a Muslim, such land can be declared Waqf. If there are issues with the Tribunals, one can file a petition before the High Court. We have also changed the composition of the Waqf Boards and tribunals. Even non-Muslims can be made members, but the majority will be Muslims,” he said.

The Union Minister also said that he pointed to the Congress and the Left MPs to cooperate. “But they are very difficult people and they twist things as they are playing vote bank politics,” he said.

He added that very soon, the district collector has to re-examine the entire matter in the Munambam case, and the Kerala government has to give support.

Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League said it will lead a protest against the new Wafq Act. “We will protest against the Act with like-minded parties,” said IUML General Secretary P.M.A. Salam.

--IANS

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