Waqf land claims rising in Kerala as families including Muslims get eviction notices, BJP smells blood

Thiruvananthapuram: The Waqf land row seems to be spreading to more regions in Kerala with the Muslim body staking claim over land in Wayanad and Thrissur districts of Kerala also.

While five families at Thalappuzha in Wayanad have received eviction notices, 37 families in Chavakkad in Thrissur have received similar notices. In both the places the families facing eviction threat include Muslims too. The families claimed that they had purchased the land around fifty years back with due title deeds.

There are unconfirmed reports that the Waqf board is staking more such claims across the state and since Muslim families were affected in many places the protests are being suppressed.

Board vs families

Munambam on the suburbs of Kochi has been witnessing an indefinite stir by 610 families against the Waqf Board's claim in around 400 acres of land.

The Waqf board has staked claims over 4.7 acres of land at Thalappuzha in Wayanad. The five families were directed to produce any claims over the land by November 16.

At Chavakkad the Waqf Board is staking claim over around ten acres of land.

Advantage BJP?

The BJP is seemingly trying to reap political benefit out of the issue by supporting the stir and flaying the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front government for unanimously passing a resolution in the Kerala Assembly against Centre's amendment in the existing Waqf law. BJP has also made it a key issue in the by-poll campaign.

Prominent churches of Kerala, including the Syro Malabar church, are also backing the stir as well as the Centre's move to amend the act. They have also urge the political parties to support the moves.

The Congress is trying to put the blame on the LDF government. Leader of opposition V D Satheesan alleged that the CPM government was trying to help the BJP make undue advantage over the issue by delaying a solution. He said that the state government could easily settle the issue by directing the Waqf board not to stake claim for the Munambam land as the ownership claim of the local people is very clear.