New Waqf tribunal, board will aid Munambam residents: Rijiju

They may have to take legal recourse for addressing the vexing issue as the matter is pending before judicial fora, says Union Minister Kiren Rijiju; residents can move SC against orders of High Court in Waqf cases, according to the Minister

The recent amendments to the Waqf Act that enabled the reconstitution of the Waqf Tribunal and the Waqf Board will help the residents of Munambam in their legal fight to restore revenue rights of their holdings. The residents can move the Supreme Court against the orders of the High Court in Waqf cases, according to Kiran Rijiju, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Tuesday (April 15, 2025), Mr. Rijiju hinted that the residents of Munambam may have to take legal recourse for addressing the vexing issue as the matter was pending before judicial fora. The newly constituted Waqf Board and the changes to be introduced in the tribunal’s structure may ultimately benefit the residents. Since the matter is pending before the judicial fora, one cannot resort to any shortcuts to address the concerns, he said.

Earlier, one was left with only the option of filing a review petition before the High Court against a Tribunal order, where only questions of law could be discussed. The amendments have made the appeal to the High Court possible and appeals can be filed in the Supreme Court too. The filing of appeals in High Courts and the Supreme Court has also been made simpler through the amendments, he said.

Mr. Rijiju wanted the State government to ask the District Collector to “revisit” Munambam and relook the decisions taken by the Survey Commissioner there.

The State government should offer all help to the District Collector for revisiting the areas and helping the people of Munambam. The Union government will support the residents and the State government by providing them with all the relevant documents and legal support, he said.

Waqf Boards, Mutawallis (trustees of Waqfs) and Survey Commissioners had caused misery and pain to a large number of innocent people through their illegal acts regarding Waqfs, he said.

The recent amendments have ensured that Munambam will not be repeated anywhere in the country, he said. 

The Union government will soon come out with rules and issue guidelines to the State governments for framing subordinate legislation, he said.

LDF, UDF slammed

Accusing the LDF and the UDF of converting Muslims into vote banks, Mr. Rijiju wanted the Muslims to end the practice of both fronts mistreating them as vote banks. “Kerala needs a course correction. How long will the people of Kerala be misled through the false narratives created by both the LDF and the UDF,” he asked.

Union Minister George Kurian and BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar were also present at the press conference. The Minister later met some senior priests in the city. He will attend a public meeting at Munambam and interact with the residents.

Later, addressing a public meeting at Munambam, Mr. Rijju said he would stand by the residents of the area till the issue is resolved. Mr. Rijju said he, being a constitutional functionary, had limitations in commenting on when the issue would be resolved. The Munambam issue was presently under the consideration of judicial fora. The government will stand by the residents to restore the revenue rights of the residents, he said.

Published - April 15, 2025 06:08 pm IST