Kerala: Congress leader resigns over party’s opposition to Waqf Amendment Bill & neglecting Christian claims over land

In a development highlighting growing discontent within the Congress ranks in Kerala, Idukki District Congress Committee (DCC) General Secretary Benny Peruvanthanam on April 4, resigned from both his post and the party. His resignation comes in open protest against the Congress party’s opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was recently passed in Parliament. Speaking to reporters in Idukki, Peruvanthanam lashed out at the Congress leadership, accusing it of “systematically ignoring” the Christian community’s concerns while adopting what he described as a “pro-Muslim stance” on the controversial Munambam land issue — a dispute involving the Kerala Waqf Board’s claim over 400 acres of land historically occupied by Christian and Hindu families. “The Congress has neglected the Christian minority community for years, while only appeasing Muslims. In protest of this approach, I am resigning from the Congress party,” Peruvanthanam said. He claimed that the Christian community — including the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) — had repeatedly urged Congress MPs from Kerala to support the Waqf Amendment Bill. However, he alleged, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaderships “chose to ignore” these appeals and instead took a stand “favoring the Muslim vote bank.” Peruvanthanam also stated that he had raised these concerns within the party’s internal forums, pressing for course correction. But he lamented that no action was taken. “The situation has reached a point where it’s impossible to move forward, so I have resigned from the post of DCC secretary and from the party as well,” he said. Importantly, he clarified that he has not joined any other political party as of now but hinted that more resignations could follow. “Many Congress leaders from the Christian community are disappointed. More resignations are likely in the coming days,” he added, suggesting that the party could face further erosion of its support base among Kerala Christians if it fails to address their grievances. The Congress party leadership, both at the state and national level, has not yet issued a response to Peruvanthanam’s resignation. The development comes close on the heels of fifty Christian residents from Munambam village joining the BJP after months of protests against the Kerala Waqf Board’s land claims — a move that BJP leaders have described as a “political turning point” in Kerala’s evolving electoral landscape.

In a development highlighting growing discontent within the Congress ranks in Kerala, Idukki District Congress Committee (DCC) General Secretary Benny Peruvanthanam on April 4, resigned from both his post and the party. His resignation comes in open protest against the Congress party’s opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was recently passed in Parliament.Speaking to reporters in Idukki, Peruvanthanam lashed out at the Congress leadership, accusing it of “systematically ignoring” the Christian community’s concerns while adopting what he described as a “pro-Muslim stance” on the controversial Munambam land issue — a dispute involving the Kerala Waqf Board’s claim over 400 acres of land historically occupied by Christian and Hindu families.

“The Congress has neglected the Christian minority community for years, while only appeasing Muslims. In protest of this approach, I am resigning from the Congress party,” Peruvanthanam said.He claimed that the Christian community — including the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) — had repeatedly urged Congress MPs from Kerala to support the Waqf Amendment Bill.

However, he alleged, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaderships “chose to ignore” these appeals and instead took a stand “favoring the Muslim vote bank.”Peruvanthanam also stated that he had raised these concerns within the party’s internal forums, pressing for course correction. But he lamented that no action was taken.

“The situation has reached a point where it’s impossible to move forward, so I have resigned from the post of DCC secretary and from the party as well,” he said.Importantly, he clarified that he has not joined any other political party as of now but hinted that more resignations could follow.“Many Congress leaders from the Christian community are disappointed.

More resignations are likely in the coming days,” he added, suggesting that the party could face further erosion of its support base among Kerala Christians if it fails to address their grievances.The Congress party leadership, both at the state and national level, has not yet issued a response to Peruvanthanam’s resignation.The development comes close on the heels of fifty Christian residents from Munambam village joining the BJP after months of protests against the Kerala Waqf Board’s land claims — a move that BJP leaders have described as a “political turning point” in Kerala’s evolving electoral landscape.

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