Kerala: Locals in Kochi protest against Waqf (Amendment) Bill

Among the sixteen bills for the winter session of Parliament beginning on Monday the Waqf Amendment Bill is one of governments agenda but the people of Kochi have raised their concerns through a protest against the Act ANI reportedAs per ANI the people protesting claim that the Munambam community is facing hardships due to the Waqf Act One of the protestors said that they have been protesting for the last 33 days following a nonviolent approachDespite buying the property between the years 1988 and 1993 and residing there for more than 150 years the Waqf Board has now taken ownership The community has requested the government to review the Waqf Act and facilitate the return of their propertyWe are on the 33rd day of our protest and this is a fasting protest following the method of nonviolence Today we brought an effigy of the Waqf Act We are not against any particular religion we are only against the Waqf Act which has to be amended We need to amend the laws because we have to address certain issues which are deeply rooted in todays India he told ANIThe Munambam people here are suffering due to this Act In 1995 the act enabled the Waqf Board to claim this property These fishermen have been living in this place for the last 150 years They bought this property in 19881993 After 35 years of possessing this property today they are asked to leave because the Waqf Board has entered this property into their registration We expect that the Government will notice all these things and make the necessary changes to change the Waqf Act and enable us to reclaim this property he added ANI citedMeanwhile the Waf Amendment Bill which is listed for consideration and passing is under examination by a joint committee of both House of Parliament The panel will submit its report during the winter session Opposition members are hoping for an extension of time for the panel to provide its reportThe winter session is scheduled to begin on November 25 and will go on till December 20 with 19 sittings ANI reportedSince August 22 of this year the Joint Parliamentary Committee JPC has held five meetings regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill The JPC has reviewed the work of six ministries and has heard from around 123 stakeholders which includes representatives from six Indian states eight Waqf boards and four minority commissionsNotably the Waqf Act 1995 which was formed to regulate waqf properties has long faced allegations of mismanagement corruption and encroachments ANI citedAccording to ANI the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 seeks to bring sweeping reforms introducing digitisation stricter audits transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied propertiesThe JPC is holding a series of meetings to collect inputs from government officials legal experts Waqf Board members and community representatives from various states and Union Territories in order to form the most comprehensive reform possible ANI citedWith inputs from ANI