New Delhi [India], March 31 : Indian Union Muslim League's Rajya Sabha MP Haris Beeran on Monday accused BJP of unleashing "propaganda" that if the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, becomes law, Kerala's Munambam land issue will be resolved. His reaction came after the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) extended support to the Bill.
Beeran said that his party's leaders are in touch with KCBC in order to address their concerns regarding the Munambam issue.
"IUML leadership has excellent relationship with Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC). Our leaders are in regular touch with the Archbishop and other Bishops of the Catholic Church. Regarding concerns of the Catholic body, surely we will discuss it out, and we will try to find a way out," Beeran told ANI.
"That's not an issue. Any concerns, I am sure we can iron it out. I believe the Catholic bodies' request has come on one specific point, the Munambam land issue. There is a propaganda, a narrative that the BJP has unleashed over there, saying that if this Amendment Bill comes, the Munambam land issue can be sorted out. This is far from the truth; they are misleading the people there," he added.
Around 610 families of Munambam, a coastal village in Ernakulam district, have been protesting against the claim by the Waqf Board on their land.
"Munambam is a separate issue, it is a land issue. There is already a ruling by the Tribunal. So our stand always has been that people who have purchased that land and settling over there, should not be disturbed. Whatever be the decision, our president has categorically said that those people who are residing over there cannot and will not be disturbed," Beeran said.
Earlier, KCBC urged MPs to vote in favour of amending the "unconstitutional" and "unjust" provisions of the Waqf Act.
The statement issued by Fr. Thomas Tharayil of the KCBC secretariat said that provisions in the Waqf law, which legitimise the "illegal claims" in such a way that people in Munambam are unable to exercise their revenue claims on the land, need to be amended.
"The Farooq College management, which sold the land to the residents of Munambam, has asserted that the land in question was received as a gift, the MPs should cooperate to amend the Waqf bill which has provisions to raise claims against this. KCBC will send letter to each MPs requesting to vote in favour of amending Bill," KCBC said in a statement.
On Sunday, Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that many Christian organisations, including the KCBC, are extending support to the Waqf Amendment Bill proposed by the Centre after poor families in the Munambam suburb claimed to be living under the threat of their land being seized by the Waqf board. He urged the MPs in the state to assist people instead of engaging in "appeasement politics."