Church Fr. Romans Antony, senior priest of the Kollam Archdiocese, stated in Karunagappally, Kollam district, that if the Munambam victims are evicted, people from the entire coastal belt would mobilize to support them. He was speaking at a Jan Jagaran Conclave conducted by the Hindu Aikyavedi organisation. Fr. Antony criticized the state for accusing the protestors of communalizing the issue. He remarked that depriving a section of people of their rights for vote-bank politics is not a sign of a healthy democracy.
He also criticized Congress MP Hibi Eden, who is representing Ernakulam, for hiding the truth for the sake of political gain, stating that Eden would never enter the area because he cannot face the people. Fr. Antony further condemned the Kerala Communist government, calling it a “government with no spine” and accusing it of lacking the audacity to address critical issues. He highlighted that six months have passed since the killer landslides in Wayanad, yet the losses have neither been audited nor fully assessed.
Church Fr. Antony said that a government without willpower cannot ensure justice for its people. He welcomed the Waqf Amendment Bill and praised the support extended by Hindu Aikyavedi and other like-minded organizations, emphasizing that the movement transcends caste and religious boundaries.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated that the Munambam Waqf issue is a constitutional matter. He said he has been supporting the people of Munambam since the very first day of their agitation and will continue to stand by them until a solution is found. He was addressing the Waqf victims at the Velankanni Church on December 22, where they are carrying out a relay hunger strike. He added that Munambam is facing an organized encroachment and criticized both political fronts—the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)—for their double standards on the matter.
The former minister emphasized that the Waqf Amendment Bill will be implemented in its entirety. He pointed out that leaders of both fronts had issued pro-victim statements during the by-elections in Wayanad, Palakkad, and Chelakkara but have since gone back on their words after the elections concluded. The Munambam victims submitted a memorandum to the former Union Minister.
Kerala: Waqf board chairman’s remarks on Munambam issue deepen church-Waqf divide https://t.co/FRAqFiDxiX
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) November 8, 2024
The Munambam Waqf case centers around a land dispute in the coastal area of Munambam, Ernakulam district, where nearly 600 families face the threat of displacement. Over 400 of these families are Christian, with the remainder being Hindu. The residents have been on a relay hunger strike for over four weeks. Prominent bishops and BJP MP Suresh Gopi also visited the protest site, expressing solidarity and pledging to fight for justice on behalf of the affected community.
Kerala: Church leads statewide protests to support Munambam, challenges Waqf authority https://t.co/1NZF1UkKIX
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) November 12, 2024
The visits and public speeches by various Christian dioceses, cardinals, bishops, religious leaders, and church-linked social, political, and cultural organizations underscore the importance the Church places on the issue.
