Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan criticized the previous Left government for causing confusion and tension between two communities regarding the Munambam land dispute. He accused the former government of intentionally complicating the issue before leaving office. Satheesan highlighted that including the Waqf Board in the UMEED portal in the final days of the previous administration escalated the dispute.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the previous government’s actions exacerbated the situation, pitting two religious communities against each other. By registering the land on the portal, it reinforced the Waqf Board’s claim to the land and labeled the residents as encroachers. Satheesan assured that the current government would not displace the people living in Munambam and pledged to protect their homes.
Satheesan criticized the deliberate actions taken by the previous government to hinder a swift administrative resolution, making it challenging to reach a decision promptly. He also accused the Sangh Parivar of attempting to exploit the issue for communal division and criticized the CPI-M for politicizing the sensitive matter. The Munambam dispute remains a contentious issue in Kerala, with residents advocating for permanent land rights protection while legal disputes related to Waqf claims persist.
The Chief Minister affirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the residents’ interests through legal means and expressed optimism that a lawful resolution could be achieved without adversely impacting the current inhabitants.
