Syro-Malabar Church Supports Amendment To Waqf Act, Cites Land Disputes Faced By Christian Families In Kerala

The Syro-Malabar Church has supported the Waqf (Amendment) Bill citing the property disputes in Kerala in a letter dated 10 September. The letter mentions the problems faced by Christian families due to Waqf Act of 1995.

The 1995 Waqf Act allows the Waqf Board to easily stake claim on any property and hence, the Narendra Modi government is planning to bring an amendment to it making the functioning of the Waqf Board more transparent.

Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, who chairs the Syro-Malabar Public Affairs Commission has written a letter to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) citing prolonged legal disputes and the displacement of rightful owners.

He alleged that numerous properties owned by Christian families for generations in Cherai and Munambam villages of Ernakulam district have been wrongfully claimed by the Waqf Board, resulting in distress.

Approximately 600 families are said to be facing this threat. "These families belong to a poor fishermen community. A Catholic parish church, a convent, and a dispensary are also at risk of being evicted by the Waqf Board," the source told PTI.

The Church has called on the JPC to consider the "dire situation" faced by these villages and other parts of India, where many are in danger of losing their homes due to what the Church describes as the "completely unjust and inhumane claims" made by the Waqf Board, the source added.

The Public Affairs Commission has urged the committee to propose amendments to the Waqf Act of 1995, rooted in both humanitarian values and Constitutional principles, the source concluded.