No one will be evicted: Judicial Commission to study Munambam; government to approach court for permission to pay taxes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high-level meeting chaired by the chief minister has decided to appoint former acting chief justice of the high court CN Ramachandran Nair as the commission to study the issues in Munambam in detail. The commission has to submit a report within three months. The issues under consideration will be decided shortly.

No one will be evicted. The Waqf Board will not issue notice to anyone until a final decision is taken. Further proceedings on the notices issued will be put on hold. The government will file a writ petition seeking permission for the land owners to pay tax.

Meantime, the Munambam Samara Samithi has come up with a serious allegation that the formation of the commission is part of a conspiracy to give 400 acres of government land to the Waqf Board in the name of Munambam land.

Ministers P Rajeev, K Rajan and V Abdurahiman, who attended the meeting, said the decision to appoint the judicial commission was taken with the aim of finding a permanent solution without evicting anyone. It walso requested that the strike be withdrawn.

The government will protect the legal rights of those living there. There are nine cases pending in the High Court and two in the Waqf Tribunal. The government cannot take a decision in one go as it is a complex issue. Discussions will also be held with the strike committee members. The chief minister had met them earlier. Minister P Rajeev said that the government wants a permanent legal solution.

Waqf Board Chairman M K Zakir, Chief Secretary, Department Secretaries and Advocate General also participated in the discussion apart from the ministers.

CM to hold online meeting with protesters

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will address those protesting in Munambam. The meeting will be held online at 4 pm. The chief minister will explain the decision of the high-level meeting to the protesters.

Strike will continue

KOCHI: A public meeting of the strike committee to discuss the government's decision and decide the protest programmes will be held at the Velankanni Matha Church in Munambam.

"This is only an issue that will be resolved if the government and the Waqf Board give an affidavit in the case in the High Court that the Munambam land is not Waqf land. Without the government being ready for that, we will not accept any decision to deceive the poor people of Munambam," the protest committee said.

"By imposing the decision of judicial commission without consulting anyone, it has become clear that the government has malafide intentions. The poor of Munambam are being denied the justice they deserve.

VD Satheesan,

Leader of the Opposition