Waqf Board claims that the land on which villagers built their houses more than four decades ago was endowed by a Muslim in the 19th century
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – In a significant step towards fostering communal harmony, Catholic and Muslim leaders in Kerala met this week to address an ongoing land dispute.
The disputed land is said to be a Waqf property. Waqf Board claims that the land on which villagers built their houses more than four decades ago was endowed by a Muslim in the 19th century. Villagers claim they bought the land through sale deeds.
Some 615 families in Munambam, a coastal village in the Ernakulam district, have been protesting the claim of the Waqf Board, a Muslim body empowered to govern donated land for Muslim charities.
The dialogue, organised in the spirit of mutual understanding, highlighted Kerala’s tradition of interfaith cooperation while seeking to resolve a contentious issue that has sparked concerns in the local community.
Allegations of encroachment and misunderstandings regarding the property’s ownership have led to tensions in the region. The issue gained public attention when community members from both sides expressed concerns over potential disruptions to social harmony.
The eviction from the plot of land will affect over 600 families, most of them Catholics.
The bishops from all the 12 Latin rite dioceses in Kerala met with prominent Muslim leaders at Verapoly Archdiocesan headquarters in Kochi. Muslims were represented by leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), reports UCA News.
Both groups reviewed historical records and legal documents related to the land, with an emphasis on transparency.
The dialogue focused on creating a roadmap for a peaceful resolution, potentially involving independent mediators or judicial review.
Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal, the president of the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Bishops’ Council said after the meeting, “We are happy that top Muslim leaders have expressed solidarity with the aggrieved families.”
Chakkalakal told UCA News on Wednesday that Muslim leaders have “agreed to do everything possible to settle the issue legally. “
IUML Kerala president Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal told the media that “the government should intervene in the issue at the earliest.”
He suggested convening a meeting of all the stakeholders, including Muslims, Catholics, and Hindus, to reach an amicable settlement on the dispute over land ownership.
Social observers say the issue threatens to take sectarian colours, with Christians and Hindus on one side, pitted against Muslims in the state, according to the report.
“It is a good sign that prominent Muslim leaders came forward to settle the issue. We are very positive and expect a permanent solution,” said Archbishop Joseph Kalathipramabil of Verapoly.
However, he said the state’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government should end its silence and intervene to settle the matter through legal means in a just manner.
Protest leaders say the land was not listed as a Waqf property at the time of purchase but was arbitrarily marked so by the government-appointed panel in 2008.
The affected families came to know about the Waqf Board’s claim in January 2022 when the government authorities abruptly stopped accepting their land tax.
