The State unit of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has said that it will support the protest action against what it called “illegal” claims made by the Waqf Board on more than 400 acres at Munambam, affecting people from around 600 families living on the land for three generations.
A statement issued by BJP leader Shaun George said on September 25 (Wednesday) that the protest action by the Munambam Bhoosamrakshana Samithi to protect the land would be supported by the party. District president K.S. Shaiju and spokesperson K.V.S. Haridas reiterated the support of the BJP to those protesting against the alienation of the land.
The district leaders of the BJP met party State president K. Surendran on Wednesday before issuing the statement, according to a press release. The party alleged that those with “extremist links” were now making claims to the land as Waqf property. The BJP demanded investigations into the “extremist links” of those who had applied to the Munambam Waqf Board under the Munambam Waqf Samrakshana Samithi for ownership of the land.
The BJP leaders also welcomed the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council stand in support of the Waqf Board Bill amendment introduced in Parliament. Since the Christian community is in open support of the Bill, United Democratic Front and the Left Democratic Front should come forward to make their stand clear on the issue.
Minority Morcha State secretary Denni Jose Veliath and BJP district general secretary Jaison too were in the team that met the State BJP leadership, the release said.
Earlier, reports indicated that the Syro-Malabar Church had claimed that a number of properties belonging to Christian families for generations in the villages of Cherai and Munambam in Ernakulam were being claimed by the Waqf Board.
Published – September 26, 2024 01:30 am IST
