Kerala Waqf Land Dispute Becomes Political Issue in Bypolls

Why in the news?

 The Kerala State Waqf Board’s claim over 404 acres of land in Munambam has sparked protests and political controversy, influencing recent by-elections and legal battles.

Kerala Waqf Land Dispute Becomes Political Issue in Bypolls

 Background of the Dispute:

  • The Kerala State Waqf Board claims ownership of 404 acres of land in Munambam, Kerala, which has been occupied by fisherfolk for generations.
  • The land is home to around 600 families, predominantly Christian, with a minority of backward Hindus.
  • The controversy dates back to 1902 when the Travancore royal family leased the land to a trader, Abdul Sathar Moosa Sait. The land was later transferred to the management of Farook College, a Muslim educational institution in Kozhikode.
  • In 1950, a Waqf deed was registered, establishing the land as Waqf property for religious and charitable purposes under Islamic law.

Legal and Political Developments

  • In the late 1950s, a legal battle began between the land’s occupants and the college management, with the former lacking official documentation for ownership.
  • An out-of-court settlement allowed the college to sell the land to its occupants at market value without acknowledging it as Waqf property.
  • In 2008, the Nissar Commission was formed to investigate complaints against the Waqf Board, recommending the recovery of the land.
  • The Kerala government declared the land as Waqf property in 2022, overruling earlier legal decisions that had allowed the residents to retain it.

Current Status and By-election Impact

  • The dispute over the Waqf property has gained attention in the state’s by-elections, with protests from local residents against the Waqf Board’s claim.
  • The Kerala Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the Waqf Amendment Bill, intensifying the issue politically.
  • Several appeals regarding the dispute are still pending in the Kerala High Court, while the Farook College management has also challenged the Waqf Board’s claim.

    Sources Referred:

    PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times