Team News Riveting
Kochi, March 31
Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has said that certain provisions in the existing Central Waqf Act are inconsistent with the Constitution.
The Waqf Board in Kerala has invoked these provisions to declare the ancestral residential properties of more than 600 families in the Munambam region as Waqf land, the CBCI said in a statement released today. It added that over the past three years, this issue has escalated into a complex legal dispute. The statement said only a legal amendment can provide a permanent solution, and this must be recognized by the people’s representatives.
The CBCI said that Waqf Amendment Bill should provide a permanent solution to land issues including Munambam in Kerala. It has urged political parties and legislators to adopt an unbiased and constructive approach to this issue and the rightful ownership of land must be fully restored to the people of Munambam. The statement added that any provisions or laws that contradict the principles of the Indian Constitution must be amended and at the same time, the rights of religious minorities, as guaranteed by the Constitution, must be safeguarded.
In a social media post, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiu said that CBCI has appealed to the political parties to support the Waqf Amendment Bill. He added that it is the duty of those in politics to care for and address problems and challenges faced by the people of the country. He said, for example hundreds of families in Munambam in Kerala and countless people across India have suffered and continue to seek a solution to protect their properties and homes.
