Kerala Catholic Bishops urge MP's to support Waqf Amendment Bill amid land dispute

Kerala Catholic Bishops urge MP's to support Waqf Amendment Bill amid land dispute

The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has asked MPs from the state to support the Waqf Amendment Bill, despite opposition from both the Congress and the Left.

The BJP, which has been working to strengthen its ties with Kerala's Christian community, praised the KCBC's position on Sunday, according to an Indian Express report.

The KCBC is a prominent body representing Catholic bishops from Kerala's Syro-Malabar, Latin, and Syro-Malankara Churches.

The Waqf Amendment Bill is likely to be re-introduced during the ongoing session of Parliament.

As reported by the Indian Express, Cardinal Baselious Cleemis, in a statement released on Sunday, called on Kerala's lawmakers to vote in favor of amending the "unfair and anti-constitutional" sections of the Bill when it is debated in Parliament.

Commenting on the Waqf Board's claim over approximately 400 acres of land in Munambam, Ernakulam district—land historically owned by Christian families, the Cardinal said, “Various clauses in the Waqf Act, which have prevented the occupants of the land from enjoying their legal rights, should be amended. The Farook College management (in Kozhikode, which sold the land to the occupants), had already stated that the land was gifted to them. Hence, people’s representatives should vote in favour of the amendment, which will prevent the Waqf Board from making claims on the land.”

The KCBC had earlier submitted a petition to the Joint Committee of Parliament discussing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill regarding this matter.

The Waqf issue gained significant attention in Kerala following the Munambam land dispute, which surfaced last year when local residents began protesting against the Board’s claim over the land.

Both Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and the Opposition Congress have expressed support for the land's occupants, with authorities assuring that those holding valid documents will not face eviction.

However, the political parties have opposed the Centre's Waqf Amendment Bill.

The state government had set up a judicial commission to explore measures for safeguarding the rights of the land's occupants, but the High Court recently struck down the commission’s appointment.

As the issue risks creating divisions between different community groups, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)—a member of the Congress-led Opposition alliance UDF—has voiced support for the Christian occupants of the Munambam land.