Far from the hustle and bustle of Kochi, Kerala's commercial capital, Cherai village is a picturesque fishing community in the Munambam suburb. Situated near the seashore, Cherai has become a major attraction for tourists today, thanks to its beach resorts. However, the villagers live in fear of displacement. About 610 families from the village allege that the Waqf Board has laid claim to their land and properties.
Due to legal entanglements, the villagers have been unable to take loans or sell their land since 2022. Prominent Christian organizations, such as the Syro-Malabar Church and the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council, have submitted suggestions to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), formed concerning the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, proposing amendments to the Waqf Act of 1995.
Source: aajtak
An Aajtak team traveled to this beautiful village and met with affected families. They visited an elderly mother, Gouri, and her disabled daughter, Cinta, in their small house by the beach. Cinta shared that she suffered a stroke a few years ago, making life challenging. 'I still make a living by selling lottery tickets. We can't leave this house; it's ours. Everything was fine until 2022 when suddenly we were told the land we'd lived on for years was no longer ours,' she lamented.
Source: aajtak
Villagers Demand Amendment to the Waqf Board Act
Cinta's neighbor, Seena, had similar stories to share. Seena stated that her home is their life's sole earnings. 'My husband is a fisherman. After years of hard work, this house was all we could build,' she said. 'If it slips from our hands, we’ll be left with nothing. The government should amend the Waqf Board Act and resolve our issues.'
Source: aajtak
Every house in this village has the same story. A little further away, Pradeep and his wife, Sridevi, were met, clutching documents linked to their land and home. They showed Aajtak's team their papers, asserting that it was ample proof that the land belonged to them. Pradeep explained that he bought the land in 1991 from Farooq College after paying the asked amount. He said, 'I have all the evidence. My health isn't great, so I've stopped working, and my son takes care of the family. I'll ensure he lives in this house without any issues in the future. I'll go to any extent for our rights. I built this house with hard work.' Pradeep couldn't continue and broke down in tears.
Source: aajtak
Villagers Unable to Sell or Mortgage Land
Residents hope the letter written by the churches to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will help them overcome this crisis. The villagers allege that they have been living in Cherai village for over a century. According to them, the land was originally bought by Siddiqui Syed in 1902 and later donated to Farooq College in 1950. The long-standing dispute between the fishermen and the college was settled in 1975, when the High Court ruled in favor of the college. Starting from 1989, locals began purchasing land from the college. However, in 2022, the village office suddenly claimed that the land belonged to the Waqf Board. Subsequently, villagers were deprived of their revenue rights and barred from selling or mortgaging their properties.
