Differences sprout in Kerala UDF as IUML sees red over Congress stand on Waqf land issue

Thiruvananthapuram: The stand of Kerala opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress that the controversial land at Munamban in Kochi is not Waqf land seems to have not gone down well with Indian Union Muslim League, which is Congress's coalition partner in the United Democratic Front (UDF).

IUML leader and Lok Sabha MP E T Mohammed Basheer and former MLA K M Shaji had openly expressed their resentment, which also seems to be a bid to please other Muslim outfits. They said that IUML is not of the view that it is not Waqf land.

IUML supremo Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal reiterated on Monday that the party's stand is that no one should be evicted from the land in which they are staying over the years. He also said that the delay on the part of the government in finding a solution for the issue was leading to such controversies. He did not give specific reply to queries on the party's stand on whether it is Waqf land or not.

Meanwhile, Satheesan said that the UDF had taken a stand on the matter after consulting all coalition partners. He also said that efforts by certain quarters to make the Munambam land row communal need to be resisted.

Leaders of various Muslim outfits had countered Satheesan's stand that the land in question is not Waqf land. This seems to have prompted a section in the IUML to openly reject Sathesan's stand.

On Monday, leaders of IUML held talks with other Muslim outfits, including the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, to address the differences among them on these issues.