Lending support to the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) has urged the members of Parliament from Kerala to vote in favour of the Bill when it is tabled for discussion. In a press release dated March 29, 2025, the KCBC asked for the amendment of the “unconstitutional and unjust sections” of the Waqf Act.
The press release referred to the Munamban land dispute in which the Kerala State Waqf Board laid claim to around 404 acres of land in the Munambam suburb of the Ernakulam district in Kerala. The claims were opposed by 600 families living on the land, primarily Christians from the Latin Catholic community and Hindus from backward sections. The families insisted that they own the legal rights to the land as they purchased it decades ago from Farook College, which was once entrusted with its management.
Through the press release, the KCBC President, Cardinal Clemis Katholika Bava, Vice-President Bishop Polly Kannookkatan and Secretary General Bishop Alex Vadakkumthala urged the Kerala MPs to support the amendments to “objectionable” parts of the Waqf Act.
The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, is being opposed by Muslims across the country. Recently, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) called for nationwide protests against the bill. The Muslim body also urged Muslims to wear black armbands during the protests. The board referred to the bill as “a sinister conspiracy aimed at depriving Muslims of their mosques, eidgahs, madrasas, dargahs, khanqahs, graveyards and charitable institutions.” Following the AIMPLB’s call, protests were held by groups of Muslims across the states during the last Friday namaz of Ramzan.
Several opposition parties have also expressed strong opposition to the proposed legislation, branding it as an assault on Muslim rights, constitutional values and most amusingly as something that ‘hurts’ Muslim sentiments. The opposition parties opposing the bill include, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
