Munambam Waqf agitators are at the pinnacle of their joy as both Houses of Parliament passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025. On April 2 and 3, Munambam people were eagerly glued to the TV sets with utmost inquisitive about the results of the voting on the floors. They carried out processions in the streets as soon as the news came in that Bills were passed.
Then the agitators displayed a poster showing the list of the Kerala Lok Sabha MPs depicting their performance during the voting on Waqf Bill. And, they highlighted the name of the union minister Suresh Gopi as the only Lok Sabha MP from Kerala to vote for the amendment.
And, newly elected state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar visited the agitation pandal on April 4, the 174th day since the agitation was launched. Chandrasekhar was coming to Munambam keeping his word that he would visit them once both Houses of Parliament pass the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Chandrasekhar and his colleagues were accorded enthusiastic welcome at Munambam. Rajeev Chandrashekar led a procession to the agitation pandal within the premises of the Velankanni Matha church. Church Vicar and Land Protection Council leaders received the leaders.
Each and every of them stated that their gratitude to the state and national leaders of BJP is beyond the words. Fr. Antony Xavier Tharayi, the Vicar of the Velankanni Matha church and the Patron of the Land Protection Council, stated that BJP stood with them during the entire 174 days of their struggle for justice. He added that their hunger strike would continue until the Munambam land is removed from the list of the assets of Waqf Board and revenue rights of the same are reinstated.
The agitators narrated, one by one, the succour extended by each BJP leaders, who were received with loud applause and ‘Jai Jai’ slogans. They thanked union ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurien. He gave sweets to the agitators and their leaders.
In the meantime, 50 Munambam agitators joined BJP in the presence of the president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. They are active anti-Waqf agitators. They have been working for CPM and Congress. Rajeev Chandrasekhar greeted them by draping the shawls.
There is an interesting piece of news come from Thodupuzha, Idukki district. There, District Congress Committee Secretary Benny Peruvanthanam resigned his party in protest against the Congress stand towards Waqf Bill. He alleged that Congress continues a policy of appeasing a section of the people. Congress is against the Christian minorities. They stand for Muslim minorities alone. He said, he raised this issue in several forums. But, all fell on deaf ears. He said, he is not ready to continue this. Congress does not respect Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference and the Church. He said, Congress policy towards the Munambam issue is wrong.
So, the indications are of a sea change in Kerala, thanks to the vote bank politics of the Congress and CPM and both United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) they lead and the nationalist and reasonable steps of BJP and the NDA it leads. This is very much significant since Kerala goes to Local Self Governments polls in September 2025 and to Assembly polls in April 2026.
