The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on April 2 has sparked intense national debates, but in Kerala, the bill is unfolding in a much more localized manner. A key focus of this controversy is the Munambam land dispute, where nearly 600 Latin Catholic families fear eviction from land they purchased from the Kozhikode-based Farook College in the 1960s.
The Kerala State Waqf Board has, after six decades, staked a claim to the land, measuring over 400 acres, triggering concerns among residents. The Latin Catholic community in the area sees the Waqf Bill as a potential resolution to the longstanding dispute, as it aims to reform land management under Waqf control. The BJP has stepped in to support the local Catholic families, with its leaders visiting Munambam to express solidarity with the residents.
This intervention is part of the BJP’s broader political strategy in Kerala, where it has been working to gain traction among Christian communities. By backing the Latin Catholic families against the Waqf Board’s claim, the BJP is positioning itself as a defender of minority rights outside its traditional Hindu voter base. The party’s engagement in the issue could have electoral implications, particularly as Kerala remains one of the few states where the BJP has struggled to make significant electoral inroads.
The Munambam case highlights the complexities surrounding Waqf properties and land disputes in India. While the bill aims to bring greater transparency and regulation to Waqf land claims, it has also sparked concerns among Muslim organizations, who fear it could weaken Waqf institutions. In Kerala, however, the debate is less about broader communal tensions and more about the specific legal implications for the Latin Catholic families who have lived on the disputed land for generations.
With the BJP actively supporting the affected families, the issue is likely to remain in focus in the coming months. The final outcome could set a precedent for how Waqf land disputes are handled in Kerala and beyond.
