Congress MP Hibi Eden alleged that the BJP's sudden interest in Munambam was politically motivated, accusing the party of manipulating the local community.
Published Apr 10, 2025 | 12:05 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 10, 2025 | 12:05 PM
Posters in front of the Velankanni Church, near the site of the protests.
Synopsis: While residents of Munambam continue to oppose the Waqf Board’s claim over more than 400 acres of land, the donor’s family has now asserted that the land was never Waqf property. The controversy could hamper the BJP’s attempt to leverage the issue for political gain. Meanwhile, protestors are awaiting clarity on the claim and its wider implications.
On 14 November 2024, the protest against the Kerala Waqf Board’s claim of the Munambam crossed the one-month mark, 33 days to be exact. Back then, it was a fight led by the people — those directly affected — demanding their lost revenue rights. Their voices remained free of political interference.
However, within just a few months, the scene in this coastal village in the Ernakulam district changed. Now, Munambam seems to speak in the BJP’s tone. The sudden political shift has upset both the Opposition UDF and the ruling LDF in Kerala, as the BJP played a major role and is now preparing the ground for its saffron rise.
The BJP-led NDA is even organising a ”Thank You Modi” event on 15 April. This major gathering at Munambam is to express gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the enactment of the Waqf Amendment Bill.
The coastal village, home to over 600 families who have been staging a prolonged protest against the Waqf Board’s property claims, will witness the first in a series of Thank You Modi, events planned across Kerala.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju will be the chief guest at the Munambam meet, which is expected to draw thousands of participants.
BJP National Council Member PK Krishnadas, addressing the media in Ernakulam, said the event is a tribute to the prime minister’s intervention, which, according to him, safeguarded the rights of not just Munambam residents but also those facing similar land disputes in Chavakkadu, Wayanad, and Thaliparamba (Kannur).
From his remarks, it’s evident that the BJP intends to intervene in similar Waqf land dispute cases. However, except for the Munambam, they haven’t been able to make any significant moves so far.
Highlighting the local impact of the legislation, Krishnadas noted that 50 residents of Munambam have recently joined the BJP in the wake of the bill’s passage.
ES Purushothaman, BJP leader from Munambam and a state committee member, told South First that Waqf land disputes remain active in regions like Chavakkad and Thaliparamba.
”The key difference is that unlike in Munambam, people from the Muslim community in these areas are actively fighting to reclaim their land ownership. Yet, no political party has addressed their concerns seriously. In contrast, the BJP in Munambam consistently followed up on the issue, which eventually led to a resolution,” he said.
According to Purushothaman, it was the reason behind the “significant interest” in the upcoming ”Thank You Modi” event, which will be attended by Rijiju.
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurien, along with other state leaders, will also participate. The event is expected to be a major milestone in marking the BJP’s growing presence in Kerala.
Meanwhile, in a surprising twist in the Munambam Waqf land dispute, the family of the woman who allegedly donated the land as Waqf property is now saying it was never Waqf land. During a recent hearing at the Kerala Waqf Tribunal, the lawyer representing the children of late Subaida, daughter of Siddique Seth, who donated the land, told the tribunal that the land does not belong to the Waqf, reversing their 2019 stance.
Back then, Subaida and her brothers had urged the Kerala State Waqf Board to reclaim the 404.76-acre land, leading to the Waqf Board taking control. Subaida’s children, now backing Farook College’s fight against the Waqf Board, have taken over the case after her death.
The dispute has triggered unrest among 610 families living on the land in Munambam near Kochi, who fear eviction if the Waqf Board’s claim, based on a supposed 1950 donation, is upheld. The tribunal will continue hearing the case, which has sparked political and public interest.
A Kerala Waqf Tribunal board member told South First that the tribunal has decided to implead residents in the ongoing case.
Responding to this, Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samathi leader Joseph Benny told South First that since residents’ concerns haven’t been heard yet, the tribunal might refer the case to the Waqf Board.
”If it goes to the newly constituted board under the amended law, we hope our genuine claims on land ownership will be addressed,” he said.
The recent legal U-turn, which supports the claim of Munambam residents that the property is not Waqf land, is welcoming, but their true intentions remain uncertain, said Joseph Benny.
“Previously, the family had aligned with the IUML’s (Indian Union Muslim League) position that the Munambam property was Waqf land. However, following detailed discussions with representatives of the Varappuzha Diocese and church authorities, the League revised its stance. The family has now thrown its support behind the Congress and the League’s updated position that the land is not Waqf,” Benny explained.
”We’re still waiting for the full picture to become clear,” Benny said. ”But for now, we are at least relieved that there is finally some acknowledgement that the property is not Waqf.”
“You people have no idea how much we used to trust the Congress and LDF in our lifetime. No one in Munambam ever voted for the BJP, I can say that with confidence. In the last local body elections, the BJP couldn’t even find a candidate for our Kadappuram ward. We never trusted them,” Antony PT, who recently joined the BJP in Munambam, told South First.
“However, now, when we’re facing a real crisis, it’s only the BJP that has shown us genuine concern. That’s why we joined them, to thank Modi Ji. The rest is up to the state government. Even our priests advised us to support the BJP,” he added.
In front of the Velankanni Church, where the ongoing protest is being staged, a large flex board has been put up.
The protestors have also put up a poster in front of the Velankanni Church. It reads, “In pursuit of a mere 30 percent vote bank, Congress MPs betrayed 610 families by disregarding the repeated appeals of the KCBC in the Indian Parliament. Other Congress leaders who consistently opposed this crucial amendment are equally accountable. From now on, none of them are permitted to enter this protest site.”
The board has been placed in the name of the public of Munambam.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Hibi Eden, who hails from the same fishing community, defended his stance in Parliament. He alleged that the BJP’s sudden interest in Munambam was politically motivated, accusing the party of manipulating the local community.
When the Kerala Latin Catholic Association, under the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) and Kottapuram Diocese, held a protest at Vanchi Square in Kochi, on 27 September last year, Eden supported the families but cautioned against communal provocation.
A highly placed source in the IUML told South First that they were certain the BJP would attempt to create a communal divide in Munambam.
“Now, they are fooling people. But this is Kerala, we will not allow the BJP to grow here, as it will destroy God’s Own Country,” the source said.
According to the IUML leader, talks were held between various diocesan representatives and IUML leaders, following which even the family involved in the controversy has clarified that the disputed land is not Waqf property. “So, hopefully, the Munambam issue will be resolved soon,” the source added.
The IUML accused the BJP of trying to portray the Muslim community as enemies and sow discord. “However, after the recent legal U-turn, the BJP’s plans will collapse,” the source asserted.
Father Job Padayattil from the Archdiocese of Thrissur, who was actively involved in the Munambam protest, told South First: “No political shift has happened in Munambam. Only around 50 people joined the BJP. The BJP has a different approach in the North and South, in places like Manipur and Jabalpur, they attacked us, but in Munambam, they appeared to support us. This contradiction shows their opportunism.”
He further added, “We need to teach both the UDF and LDF a lesson. We were caught between the sea and the devil, between Congress and the Left. Our only weapon is the vote, and we might go for an experiment.”
While some metrans (senior clergy) reportedly suggested forming a new political party, Fr. Padayattil said it is not feasible at the moment. He dismissed the ‘Thank You Modi’ event, stating, ”It’s just political posturing. This wasn’t a favour from Modi.”
He also expressed concern about extremism across the board. ”Like the RSS and Shiv Sena, Muslim extremist groups are also a threat to the country. But Congress is now afraid to speak this openly. We once believed in Congress for its secularism, but in this specific case, they turned their backs on us. That doesn’t mean every Christian will now support the BJP,” he said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
