Kochi, Apr 15 (PTI) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday used the amendment to the “draconian” provisions in the Waqf Act to reach out to the Christian-dominated Munambam residents, assuring them that a resolution to their property dispute with the Waqf Board was only a “matter of time.” At the same time, Rijiju hit out at the Congress and the Left in Kerala, accusing them of “vote bank politics”.

The Union Minister of Minority Affairs alleged that the Congress and the Communists were not concerned about the Munambam people as they were fewer in number and could not decide the future course of the government.

Rijiju was speaking at a programme organised at Munambam in the Ernakulam district by the residents of the area to thank him for the Waqf Amendment Act, which became a law on April 6 after receiving Presidential assent.

He said that the amended Waqf Act would take care of the problems of the Munambam people, and once the framing of rules for its implementation is completed, directions would be issued to the Kerala government and the State Waqf Board to take necessary steps to protect the interests of the residents and ensure they get their land back.

He appealed to the people of Munambam not to listen to any kind of political propaganda from the Congress or LDF, as only Prime Minister Narendra Modi was there to listen to them.

Rijiju said he was not spelling out any deadline or time limit for resolving the Munambam issue as the matter was also pending in court, and as a Union minister, he “cannot take over the authority of the judiciary.” “But that does not mean your issue will not be settled. The Government of India will ensure that you get justice. It is just a matter of time. You will get your land back. I will not let your hope die down,” he said.

Rijiju also declared that from now on, nobody in India would face problems like the people of Munambam did.

The residents of Munambam, mostly Christians, have been agitating for the past several months against the Waqf Board’s allegedly unlawful claim on their land and properties, despite having registered deeds and land tax payment receipts.

In his speech, he also claimed there was “no political agenda” behind the changes made to the earlier “draconian” Waqf law and that the intention was to remove the “unprecedented and uncontrolled” powers of the Waqf Board to declare any land as Waqf property.

“The change in the Waqf Act was not a political agenda. It was not a political issue for our party. It was a humane issue. It was to address the problems faced by common and poor people,” the minister said, addressing a large gathering of Munambam residents and party supporters.

Rijiju alleged that for the Congress and Communist parties, the legislation was a political issue as they were concerned that the passage of the Waqf Bill would impact their vote bank—the Muslim community.

“We do not consider politics a factor while deciding to change the draconian provisions in the Waqf Act. For us, everyone is equal,” he said.

At the same time, he clarified that the central government was not interfering in the religious matters of the Muslim community.

“We are only changing the provisions of management, governance and administration of Waqf property,” he said.

The changes will include having non-Muslims in the Waqf Board to ensure that decision-making is “balanced,” he added.

The Union minister said the “draconian” provisions in the Waqf Act have been “obliterated” forever, and it was done in the interest of the common people of the country.

After the event, Father Antony Xavier, the vicar of the Velankanni Matha Church in Munambam, said that the Union minister told the residents—who have been protesting against the Waqf Board for the last 185 days—that in a few weeks, their problems would be solved.

“So, certainly we believe in him, and we believe that his words will come true—that in three to four weeks, our problems will be solved, and we will get back our property,” he said.

As part of his outreach initiative towards the Christian community, Rijiju separately met with Varapuzha Archbishop Dr Joseph Kalathiparambil, members of the Syro Malabar Catholic Public Affairs Commission, and the Kerala Council of Churches ahead of the event at Munambam.

After the meeting with Rijiju, the Archbishop said the Union minister assured them he would do the needful to resolve the problems of the Munambam residents and ensure that the issue is never repeated in the future.

Kalathiparambil said the minister assured him that he would take the necessary steps to ensure there is a permanent solution to the Munambam issue and that the Church had sought that it be done in a time-bound manner.

He said that Rijiju heard him out and assured him that he would do all that was possible.

“It was a good talk and a friendly meeting. It was a frank talk. His kind gesture has given us happiness and satisfaction,” the Archbishop said. PTI HMP SSK HMP SSK ROH