Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan on Monday came down heavily on the previous Left government over the Munambam land dispute, accusing it of creating confusion that led to tension between two communities. Reacting strongly to the controversy, Satheesan alleged that the earlier government had knowingly taken steps that complicated the issue before leaving office.
He said the previous administration included the Waqf Board in the UMEED portal in its final days, making the dispute more serious. "The earlier government created a situation that turned two religious communities against each other. They knowingly left behind a complicated issue," the Chief Minister told reporters after the Cabinet meeting here.
According to Satheesan, once the land was entered into the portal, it effectively strengthened the claim that the land belonged to the Waqf Board. He said this also reflected the stand of the previous government that the people living there were encroachers.
"The present government will not evict the people living in Munambam. Nobody will be thrown out of their homes," he assured. The Chief Minister alleged that the move was deliberately made in such a way that a quick administrative solution would become difficult.
"It was done to ensure that a decision could not be taken in ten minutes," he remarked. Satheesan also accused the Sangh Parivar of trying to use the issue to create communal division in the coastal region. At the same time, he alleged that the CPI-M too was attempting to exploit the sensitive issue politically.
The Munambam dispute has remained politically sensitive in Kerala, with residents demanding permanent protection over their land rights while legal questions linked to Waqf claims continue to trigger controversy. The Chief Minister said the government would take all possible legal steps to protect the interests of the residents and expressed confidence that the issue could be resolved through lawful means without affecting people currently living there.