Muslim Community Demands Action on Kabrastan Issue Ahead of 2027 Elections

Margao: The Muslim community has expressed frustration over govt’s continued failure to provide a proper kabrastan (burial ground) despite years of promises and court directives. Community leaders have now threatened to make this long-standing grievance a major election issue in the 2027 state assembly polls.
Community representatives pointed out that despite a high court order from October 2022 directing authorities to develop a kabrastan at the acquired land in Sonsoddo “within six months”, the project remains in limbo more than two years later.
“The Muslim kabrastan issue remains unresolved despite incumbent Margao MLA Digambar Kamat’s tenure as chief minister. A resolution passed unanimously in the state legislative assembly has not been implemented, and land sharks are waiting to grab the property,” said Abdulmatin Daud Karol, who has been at the forefront of the struggle.
The situation has been complicated by local opposition to the demarcation of land at Sonsoddo. Previous attempts by surveyors to mark boundaries at the site were abandoned when residents converged at the site, creating potential law and order concerns. Police deployment helped resolve the impasse temporarily.
Moreover, of the 30,000sqm acquired for burial grounds, only 2,500sqm has been deemed usable for the kabrastan due to terrain issues, further exacerbating community concerns.
“This issue has been used as a poll promise for three decades with no results,” said Karol. “Our patience has run out. The community expressed its anger over the issue through the ballot in the last Lok Sabha election, and BJP lost the South Goa seat. If govt continues to ignore our constitutional right to dignified burial spaces, we will ensure this becomes a decisive factor in the 2027 assembly elections.”