Munambam issue won’t repeat again; Kiren Rijiju dismisses anti-Muslim bias in Waqf amendment

KOCHI: Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju’s recent statement indicated that the people of Munambam will have to continue their legal battle. He made this comment while speaking at a press conference in Kochi. The minister said that the Waqf Act is not against the Muslims of the country. This is not an amendment which targets any particular section. If this amendment had not been made, there would have been a situation where any land could be declared as Waqf land, and the Centre has prepared to amend the law after realising this, Rijiju clarified.

‘Some people are campaigning that the Centre is taking action against Muslims with the Waqf Act. This is wrong. The government has done this to correct a mistake that has been going on for years. The minister said that the government has done this to provide justice to thousands of people who have lost the ownership of their own land. The land in Munambam was transferred, and this is against the Waqf. Justice will be done in Munambam. UDF and LDF should not play vote bank politics in Munambam. The Muslim faction should not become a vote bank for the Congress and the Communists. They are trying to scare the people by mentioning the name of the BJP. How long can they mislead the people of Kerala?’

‘The people of Munambam will have to continue the legal battle. The supervisory power in Munambam was given to the Collector to ensure justice and impartiality. The matter, which is under the consideration of the court, should be resolved through legal means. The power and structure of the Waqf Tribunal were changed through the amendment of the law. ‘Therefore, even if the tribunal order is against them, the people can approach the High Court and the Supreme Court,’ Kiren Rijiju clarified.