Idukki: Idukki District Congress Committee (DCC) secretary Benny Peruvanthanam announced his resignation from the party on Friday, citing dissatisfaction with the party's position on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and its alleged neglect of the Christian community.

Speaking to the media, Benny accused the Congress of consistently favouring the Muslim community while ignoring the concerns of Christians. “For years, Congress has turned a blind eye to the Christian minority. Their stance on the Munambam issue further exposed this bias. In protest, I am stepping down from both the DCC secretary post and the party,” he said.

He claimed to have raised these concerns within party forums, but no corrective measures were taken. “It has become impossible to continue under such circumstances,” he added.

Benny also criticised the Congress leadership for disregarding the appeals of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) and other Church organisations. However, he clarified that he has not joined any other political outfit as of now. The Congress party has yet to respond to the resignation.

The Munambam land rights issue—now in its 174th day of protest—has seen strong backing from the Catholic Church, with locals demanding revenue rights over properties allegedly claimed by the Waqf Board.
(With PTI inputs)