The Munambam Protest Committee has announced a demonstration outside the Waqf Board office at Kaloor in Kochi on Thursday. Father Joshi Mayyattil is scheduled to inaugurate the protest at 3 pm, marking the return of organised demonstrations over the unresolved property dispute.
The Munambam Land Protection Committee has separately announced a protest march, with participants assembling at the local church before proceeding towards Munambam Gap beach carrying candles. Prayers will be offered as part of the programme.
The renewed mobilisation follows Mayin Haji’s appointment as chairman of the reconstituted Waqf Board. The Indian Union Muslim League state vice-president maintains that the land is Waqf property, although he has also stated that residents should not be evicted from their homes.
His position differs from that of Satheesan, who leads the Congress-headed United Democratic Front government and has maintained that the disputed land does not constitute Waqf property.
Mayin Haji has clarified that the ownership dispute is now before the Waqf Tribunal and other judicial authorities rather than the Board itself. He has said the government and courts must determine the outcome and that the Board would respect their decisions.
The dispute affects more than 600 families occupying approximately 400 acres in Munambam, Ernakulam district. Residents maintain that they purchased their holdings legitimately from the Farook College Management Committee and have occupied the properties for decades.
The agitation had remained suspended for nearly a year after the Revenue Department permitted affected residents to resume paying land tax. Protest organisers regarded that administrative relief as an important development, although it did not conclusively settle ownership.
Joseph Rocky, chairman of the Munambam Land Protection Committee, has criticised the continued registration of the disputed property on the central government’s UMEED portal, established to maintain records of Waqf assets.
Rocky argued that amendments to the Waqf legislation had failed to protect the affected households because the changes did not operate retrospectively. He maintained that the central government had not prevented the disputed land from being registered on the portal.
He also called for the state government to reconsider its position in proceedings before the Supreme Court, arguing that such a change could help resolve the controversy.
Philip Joseph of the Munambam Protest Committee alleged that the registration of the property on the UMEED portal involved a conspiracy. His allegation has not been independently established, and the legal status of the disputed holdings remains contested.
Joseph said the committee was considering extending its agitation to the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, bringing the campaign directly before the state administration.
The competing protest organisations reflect differences that emerged during the earlier agitation. The Munambam Protest Committee developed separately from the Land Protection Committee and has been associated with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The BJP had sought to challenge both the Left Democratic Front and the UDF over their handling of the controversy. The dispute also featured in local body elections, during which the party secured a ward in the area.
The reconstituted Waqf Board has consequently encountered criticism from organisations seeking a settlement favourable to residents.
The Association of Christian Trusts and Services has demanded Mayin Haji’s removal, arguing that his ownership assertions could aggravate communal tensions.
Its general secretary, George Sebastian, urged the chief minister and Muslim League leadership to clarify their positions. He also indicated that the organisation would pursue legal proceedings concerning the Board and its composition.
The government reconstituted the nine-member Board after dissolving the previous body headed by K. S. Hamsa, appointed during the former LDF administration. The decision has itself generated legal challenges and objections from sections of the Sunni community.
Waqf and Minority Affairs Minister N. Samsudheen has defended the reconstitution, maintaining that the government acted within the framework of judicial directions.
The new Board assumed office with two positions intended for non-Muslim representation remaining vacant, pending clarification of legal questions surrounding the amended Waqf legislation.
The UMEED portal, launched by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs in June 2025, provides a centralised mechanism for recording and verifying Waqf properties. Its inclusion of the Munambam holdings remains a specific objection raised by residents.
(The article ‘Munambam residents revive protests’ appeared first on Free Press Journal.)
Follow Arabian Post
Select Arabian Post as your preferred source on Google and MSN News for trusted business news and Arab politics and updates.
