Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tourism, Suresh Gopi, has asserted that the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will directly benefit the protesting residents of Munambam in Kerala, who have been engaged in a 174-day-long relay hunger strike over land rights.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Gopi stated, “The Waqf is an institution meant for the greater good. However, certain barbaric practices within it needed to be eliminated.” He added that the Bill was a legal step in that direction, though he refrained from elaborating on what he meant by such practices.
The Union Minister said the amendment would not only help resolve the grievances of the Munambam residents but also benefit the Muslim community, dismissing opposition claims to the contrary. “It is the opposition that tried to divide the people. They stood against the Bill in Parliament and falsely claimed it would harm the Muslim community,” Gopi alleged.
When asked whether the Bill would have retrospective effect to address existing disputes like Munambam, Gopi deflected, saying, “Wait, sir. Wasn’t it you who said this Bill would never come at all?”
The Parliamentary debates around the Bill saw heated exchanges, especially between Gopi and CPI(M) MP John Brittas. Brittas accused Gopi of failing to answer questions around the recent attack on Christian priests in Jabalpur. Gopi dismissed such concerns, alleging media distortion and pointing out that “issues like these arise everywhere.”
CPI(M) and the Congress-led UDF came down heavily on Gopi for his remarks. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan accused the Union Minister of attacking journalists instead of addressing the core issue. “It’s not the journalists but the Bajrang Dal and BJP who need to keep quiet, as they unleashed the attack against Christian priests,” Satheesan said.
He also reminded Gopi of his responsibility as an elected representative. “The Union Minister had no answer when questioned about the attack on priests in his constituency, in the presence of police officers,” Satheesan added, criticizing Gopi’s habit of visiting churches during elections with golden crosses but not standing up for the community when needed.
John Brittas, known for his wit, took a dig at the actor-turned-politician, suggesting he needs a scriptwriter in politics too. “Even Suresh Gopi himself is unsure about which party he belongs to. Neither he nor the BJP takes his words seriously,” Brittas quipped.
During the Rajya Sabha debate, Brittas highlighted that nearly 700 attacks on Christians were reported in the past year and over 200 churches were burned down in Manipur alone. Gopi refused to comment on Brittas’ claims, instead inviting reporters to ask Brittas at his home.
Despite the controversies, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed after a marathon 13-hour debate in the Rajya Sabha, with 128 votes in favour and 95 against. It had earlier cleared the Lok Sabha with 288 votes in support and 232 against.
The residents of Munambam and Cherai villages in Ernakulam district, who have been protesting under the ‘Munambam Bhoo Samrakshana Samithi’, expressed hope that the Bill will finally end the Waqf Board’s claims over their properties. Residents allege that the Board is illegally asserting ownership over their lands despite valid property documents and tax receipts.
As political tensions rise, all eyes are now on the implementation of the amendment and its real impact on ground-level disputes such as those in Munambam.
