In a statement that stunned Munambam, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, made it clear that the Waqf (Amendment) Act would not provide the immediate solution that had been promised.
Published Apr 16, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 16, 2025 | 10:00 AM
In the quiet that now surrounds Munambam, one thing is clear, the mask of BJP support has fallen, and the village is left searching for new answers.
Synopsis: The sense of hope that swept Munambam just days ago has given way to shock and confusion after Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Waqf (Amendment) Act would not immediately resolve the community’s long-standing conflict with the Kerala Waqf Board over the land they have occupied for generations. The minister’s statement seems to have disillusioned the community, which had organised a celebratory ‘Thank you Modi’ event on Tuesday.
The widespread optimism that recently swept through Kerala’s Munambam appears to have dimmed just as abruptly, leaving many residents of the small coastal fishing community in disbelief and confusion.
Only days ago, the village was alive with chants of “Jai Modiji”, as locals rallied behind the BJP, convinced that the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, would finally resolve their years-long, bitter struggle to gain rights to their own land.
So strong was the conviction among some residents that many who had previously been staunch supporters of the CPI(M) and the Congress shifted allegiance, joining the BJP and even organising a ‘Thank you Modi’ event on Tuesday, 15 April, held in front of the Velankanni Matha Church at Kadappuram.
The mood was optimistic. Residents believed they had reached the breakthrough they had long awaited. But as the sun set, the promises began to unravel.
In a statement that stunned Munambam, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju made it clear that the Waqf (Amendment) Act would not provide the permanent solution that had been promised.
For residents who had pinned their hopes entirely on the BJP to resolve their conflict with the Kerala Waqf Board, the Minister’s remarks came as a shock.
Now, with their trust in the Centre shaken, they have turned to the CPI(M)-led Kerala government, demanding that it appoint a judicial commission to investigate the matter and chart a path towards a fair, lasting resolution.
Munambam, in Ernakulam district, is home to around 600 predominantly Christian fishing families. In 2022, residents discovered that the Kerala State Waqf Board had claimed ownership of around 404 acres of land they had occupied for generations.
The claim was based on a 1950 donation of land to Kozhikode’s Farook College, formalised as a Waqf endowment.
Although the college had subsequently sold portions of this land to local families, the Waqf Board in 2019 declared these transactions null and void – triggering a freeze on land deals and causing significant financial strain for residents. In response, the community launched a prolonged campaign to reclaim their rights.
Yet as the CPI(M) and the Congress – the two dominant political players in Kerala – initially hesitated to intervene, wary of alienating Muslim voters by confronting the Waqf Board, the BJP saw an opening and began aligning with the protestors.
In return, it received the community’s backing for its controversial Waqf Amendment Act. Minister Kiren Rijiju’s recent statement, however, may have abruptly ended that mutual benefit.
During his press conference in Kochi, Rijiju sought to dispel accusations that the legislation was targeting the Muslim community.
“There is a narrative being pushed that the government is against Muslims. That is simply not true,” he said.
“The amendments to the Waqf Act were brought in to rectify historical errors and to ensure fairness in land ownership laws across the nation.”
Representatives of the Varapuzha Archdiocese extended a warm welcome to Kiren Rijiju.
Flanked by Union Minister of State George Kurien and Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rijiju insisted that the amendments were about restoring balance, not scoring political points.
“The Waqf Board was granted unprecedented powers in the past, and we are here to correct those mistakes and offer justice,” he said.
Addressing the Muslim community directly, Rijiju added: “I urge the Muslim community not to allow themselves to be used as a political vote bank by the Congress and Communist parties. When you become a vote bank, you are treated like a commodity.”
He cited Munambam as a driving force behind the amendment.
“Over 600 fishermen, who had been paying taxes for the land, were shocked to learn that 404 acres in Munambam had been declared Waqf property by the Kerala Waqf Board, displacing them unjustly,” he said.
“Land is one of the most valuable assets we have. Losing land means losing everything. That is why we must ensure that no one can unlawfully take away someone else’s land. The new laws aim to protect every inch of land and ensure that rightful owners are not deprived of it,” Rijiju added.
“After some time, we will frame the rules. The drafting of the rules has started. Once it’s complete, we will issue directions to the state government to take necessary steps to protect the interests of the Munambam people.”
However, shattering the hopes of Munambam residents, who were hoping for a permanent solution, the Union minister said that the government could not intervene in the matter as it was sub judice. He added that he cannot state a deadline for the resolution.
“Today I could have given certain deadlines and I could have given specifics. But you know very well in India, if there is a matter which is pending in the court or appeal before a tribunal, then as a minister, I cannot take over the authority of the judiciary. I have limitations. I know what has to be done. I know the solution also, but being a person holding a constitutional position I have to respect the judiciary. That’s why I’m not stating a deadline,” Rijiju said.
However, he promised the vicar that a final decision would be made within three weeks.
”The state government must give all support and assistance and all necessary documents to ensure that the innocent families here get their land rights back,” he added.
The ‘Thank you Modi’ event has now become a point of contention within the Munambam fishing community, particularly among the Latin Catholic residents.
The absence of protest convenor Joseph Benny – widely recognised as the face of the Munambam movement – at the event has deepened the divisions.
“Even the Minister now says the amendment cannot offer a lasting solution for the people of Munambam. A resolution is possible only after the existing court cases are fully resolved,” Benny told South First.
Between 1953 and 1987, villagers engaged in a 34-year court struggle that ultimately forced them to repurchase their own land. Now, with legal proceedings potentially heading to the Supreme Court, many say the burden is unbearable.
Chavittu Nadakam artists from Munambam donned their vibrant drama costumes to extend a grand traditional welcome to Kiren Rijiju.
“We are distressed. We are shocked. How many more years should we fight legally?” Benny questioned.
“We welcomed every BJP leader with hope and denied entry to CPI(M) and Congress leaders. We trusted the BJP to deliver a permanent solution. But now, things have taken a painful turn.”
However, fellow protest leader Siji Ayil dismissed Benny’s remarks as a personal opinion.
“Before inaugurating the ‘Thank you Modi’ event, the Minister held a meeting with our Kadappuram vicar, Fr Antony Xavier Tharayil, and promised that a permanent solution would be provided to the people of Munambam within three weeks. We have been waiting for years, so we are ready to wait three more weeks,” she told South First.
Rijiju’s visit to Munambam overshadowed a parallel protest in Kozhikode on the same day.
Organised by the Indian National League (INL), demonstrators gathered at Muthalakkulam, symbolically throwing a copy of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill into the Arabian Sea to signal their strong opposition to the legislation.
INL protest
Former Minister and INL leader Ahamed Devarkovil criticised the silence of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML): “But we will continue our protests in the coming days. This bill clearly violates the Constitution.”
INL State Secretary Samad Narippatta explained that while the party has not filed a separate legal challenge, its National President also serves as Chairman of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, which has already approached the courts.
“That is why the INL has not approached the court separately. However, we are actively leading the protest movement, including in Murshidabad, West Bengal. We do not know who gave it a communal colour,” he said.
According to Narippatta, demonstrations are also being organised in Maharashtra.
To build a wider platform of resistance, the INL has launched the Bharatiya Bahujan Alliance – a coalition that includes minorities, Dalits, and backward communities.
Prominent figures supporting the alliance include Rajasthan MP Rajkumar Roat, Dalit leaders from Maharashtra, members of the Muslim Personal Law Board, and grassroots organisations. The alliance does not include the IUML, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), or Jamaat-e-Islami.
“We stand with the people of Munambam. There are also serious concerns that land mafias are playing a dark role in this ongoing dispute,” Narippatta told South First.
Meanwhile, IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty criticised Minister Rijiju’s remarks on the Munambam land issue, calling them a betrayal. He said the BJP’s claim that the Waqf Bill would resolve the dispute had proven hollow, and he accused the central government of stoking communal tensions.
Kunhalikutty urged the Kerala government to intervene promptly, suggesting the dispute could be settled through the tribunal process with mutual consent. The IUML is set to hold a large protest in Kozhikode on Tuesday against the Waqf Amendment Bill.
During his Kerala visit, Rijiju also met with Varapuzha Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, as well as representatives from the Syro-Malabar Catholic Public Affairs Commission and the Kerala Council of Churches.
The discussions addressed a range of issues concerning Christian communities across India.
Among the key concerns raised were the growing number of attacks on Christians and Christian clergy in north India. Church leaders also expressed concern over the absence of Anglo-Indian representation in Parliament – a matter that has drawn continued criticism from the community in recent years.
The Archbishop underlined the urgency of addressing the challenges facing both groups.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Archbishop Kalathiparambil said Minister Rijiju had offered a firm assurance that such incidents, including recent tensions in Munambam, would not be repeated elsewhere in the country.
He also asserted that the Union minister had committed to resolving the Munambam issue at the earliest.
(Edited by Dese Gowda.)
