World · India Bureau
Kerala Muslim groups protest board restructuring, cite inadequate representation
Muslim organisations in Kerala have launched protests against the restructuring of the state's Waqf Board, alleging insufficient representation in the reorganisation process. Multiple groups have announced coordinated demonstrations across the state.
LSN India ·
The AP Kanthapur faction has accused the Kerala state government of sidelining Muslim interests in the ongoing restructuring of the Kerala Waqf Board. The group contends that the reorganisation does not adequately reflect Muslim community concerns and participation.
In response to the controversy, the Kerala Muslim Jamaat, which is aligned with the AP Kanthapur faction, has announced district-level protest marches scheduled for October 22 across all 14 districts of Kerala. The demonstrations are intended to send a strong message to the state administration regarding the community's grievances over the board's composition.
The Indian Union Muslim League, another major Muslim organisation in the state, has called for an all-party meeting of Muslim groups to discuss a unified response to the restructuring. The move signals broader concern among Kerala's Muslim leadership about their representation in the reformed Waqf Board structure.
The controversy underscores ongoing tensions between various Muslim factions and the Kerala government over the governance of religious and charitable institutions. The Waqf Board, which manages Islamic religious endowments and properties across the state, has long been a focal point of such disputes.
Photo: Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, leader of the AP Sunni faction in Kerala, at a gathering, October 2017. Abdlrasheed via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).