Tue Nov 05 18:52:50 UTC 2024: ## Opposition Leader Accuses Kerala Government of Using Waqf Land Dispute to Benefit BJP

**PALAKKAD, November 6, 2024:** Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, has accused the Kerala government of exploiting the ongoing Waqf land dispute to bolster the BJP’s presence in the state. Speaking on Tuesday, Satheesan stated that the Munambam land, currently at the center of the controversy, was not actually Waqf property, having been purchased from the Farook College management. He criticized the Waqf Board chairman’s statement about resolving the dispute in court as evidence of the government’s “double-standard” and alleged a close collaboration with the BJP.

Satheesan drew parallels to the government’s alleged role in disrupting the Thrissur Pooram, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to benefit the BJP. He urged the government to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the issue and explicitly instruct the Waqf Board to renounce its claims on the Munambam land.

“The government is playing a deceptive game,” said Satheesan. “On one hand, they claim Munambam is Waqf land, and on the other, they deny it. This is a blatant lie.” He dismissed the BJP’s assertion that the Central government’s Waqf Amendment Bill would resolve the dispute, calling it an empty promise.

The opposition leader concluded by stating that the issue was not about any Muslim organization objecting to the land, but rather the Waqf Board chairman’s actions that instigated the controversy.

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