[ad_1]
WAQF Amendment Bill: India’s Catholic Bishop Conference on Monday issued an official statement demanding a ‘permanent resolution’ for long -standing land disputes within the proposed amendments in the WAQF law. “As the WAQF Amendment Bill is to be introduced in Parliament, CBCI urged political parties and legislators to adopt a fair and creative approach to the issue”, read the official statement.
The issue of Waqf has come out in Kerala after the arrival of Munamam’s land row last year, in which the residents started an open protest against the Waqf Board claim on 400 acres of land in Ernakulam district.
CBCI’s statement Kerala Catholic Bishop Council (KCBC) asked the state MPs to vote in favor of the Waqf Amendment Bill, after which both Congress and Left faced opposition. KCBC is a powerful organization of Catholic bishop in Kerala, which belongs to Sir-Malabar, Latin and Siro-Malakara churches.
What did CBCI say on the Waqf Amendment Bill?
The CBCI wrote in its official statement, “It is a reality that some provisions in the current Central WAQF Act are incompatible with the Constitution and the secular democratic values of the country. In Kerala, the WAQF board has announced these provisions of ancestral residential properties of more than 600 families in the Munambam region.
Looking for a permanent resolution, the organization said, “The fact that only a legal amendment can provide only one permanent solution, and it should be recognized by representatives of the people.
CBCI urged politicians and MPs to adopt a fair and creative approach as the WAQF Amendment Bill is to be introduced in Parliament.
The CBCI demanded, “The correct ownership of the land should be fully restored to the people of Munamam”.
What is Munambam Row?
The Munambam land dispute in Kerala has attracted significant attention to more than 600 families, mainly Christians and Hindus, protested against the claim of more than 404 acres of land in Ernakulam district of Kerala State Waqf Board.
The dispute has led to political and communal tensions, as the residents argue that they live on land for generations and have the right ownership.
The ruling CPI (M) and the opposition Congress of Kerala have expressed support for those living, promising that people with legitimate documents would not face eviction. However, both sides have opposed the Center’s proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, which wants to address such disputes.
The state government had appointed a judicial commission led by former High Court Justice CN Ramachandran Nair to protect the rights of the living, but the Kerala High Court recently reduced the appointment of the commission, which led to the issue unresolved.
Amid growing protests, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a Congress -led UDF Opposition alliance, has surprised the Christians of Munamabam, surprisingly biased. IUML leaders have organized several discussions with the bishop and have assured them that neither the party nor the Muslim community supports eviction.
[ad_2]
