Kerala Catholic bishops support Waqf Bill, ask MPs from state to vote for amending ‘unfair and anti-Constitutional’ provisions

The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has urged MPs from the state to vote in favour of the Waqf Amendment Bill when it comes up for discussion in Parliament.

KCBC president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos in a statement issued on Saturday, demanded that “when the Bill is taken for debate in Parliament, the people’s representatives from Kerala should vote in favour of amending the sections which are unfair and anti-constitutional”. The KCBC is a powerful organisation of Catholic bishops in Kerala belonging to the Syro-Malabar, Latin and Syro-Malankara Churches.

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Regarding the Waqf Board’s claim on around 400-odd acres of land at Munambam in Ernakulam district, which has mainly been in the possession of Christian residents for generations, the Cardinal said, “Various clauses in the Waqf Act, which have prevented the occupants of the land from enjoying their legal rights, should be amended. The Farook College management (in Kozhikode, which sold the land to the occupants), had already stated that the land was gifted to them. Hence, people’s representatives should vote in favour of the amendment, which will prevent the Waqf Board from making claims on the land.”

MPs from both the CPI-M-led LDF and Congress-led UDF in Kerala have opposed the Waqf amendment Bill.The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has earlier approached the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 urging ‘immediate and decisive action’ to resolve the matter. In a memorandum to the Committee by KCBC president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the council pointed out that enforcement of the Waqf law had been causing hardships for over 600 families at Munambam. It urged the committee to ensure such claims on legally owned properties of citizens were not repeated in the future.

The Waqf Amendment Bill is expected to be re-introduced during the ongoing session of Parliament. Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated in the Lok Sabha on Friday that the Central government would introduce the Waqf Amendment Bill during the current session itself.

BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chadrasekhar has welcomed the Kerala Catholic Bishop Council’s(KCBC’s) appeal to MPs to support the bill, calling it a step in the right direction. He urged all MPs from Kerala to support the Waqf Amendment Bill stating that such a stance is necessary for addressing the land-related issues being faced by the fishing community in Munambam. He asked all MPs, including those from Congress, to ensure that laws remain consistent with the Constitution and address real issues faced by the people.

He accused the INDIA bloc of spreading misinformation regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill, with an intention to mislead a particular community.The BJP leader said that in Kerala alone, there are hundreds of families whose land and property are being grabbed by the Waqf unilaterally. The Waqf Amendment Act will protect such properties being taken away by anybody, he added.

The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, is being opposed by Muslims across the country. Recently, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) called for nationwide protests against the bill. Several opposition parties have also expressed strong opposition to the proposed legislation, branding it as an assault on Muslim rights, Constitutional values and most amusingly as something that ‘hurts’ Muslim sentiments. In this situation, the support of an organisation of Catholic bishops in Kerala belonging to the Syro-Malabar, Latin and Syro-Malankara Churches has come as a significant development.

The KCBC’s demand to the MPs from the state to vote in favour of the Waqf Amendment Bill when it comes up for discussion in Parliament, has put both the CPI-M-led LDF and Congress-led UDF in a difficult situation. Both the fronts are opposing the bill calling the bill as anti-Muslim. Now, as a powerful organisation of the Christian community comes in support of the bill, both the fronts are worried over the political consequences of the decision. They apprehend whether the BJP will take advantage of the situation.

The Congress leadership is indicating that it is difficult to take a stand in favour of the Waqf Act Amendment in Parliament in the current situation. The current understanding in the organisation is to go ahead with the decision to oppose the bill. Party leaders may hold discussions with the KCBC leadership in this regard. The CPI-M has not responded to the KCBC’s stand.