Kerala - Kozhikode   

IUML to strengthen ties with religious groups

KOZHIKODE: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has decided to strengthen its relations with Muslim religious groups.

Talking to presspersons here on Tuesday, IUML State general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said the party working committee which met in Kozhikode had discussed the matter.

Mr. Kunhalikutty said his party was pursuing vigorously its programmes to strengthen relations with Muslim religious organisations without compromising on its declared stand against religious extremism and terrorism.

In line with this policy to befriend religious outfits, the IUML leaders had discussions with Hussain Madavoor, leader of a group of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) recently.

IUML all-India president E. Ahamed and party leader E.T. Mohammed Basheer had attended programmes of religious organisations which did not share the IUML’s political views.

Mr, Ahamed’s visit to Sunni Markaz Centre and its leader Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musaliar was one such incident. Mr. Aboobacker Musaliar is known to have political views that are incompatible with the brand of politics practised by the IUML. These visits were made in response to invitations the IUML had received and in consultation with other party leaders. He said he would not elaborate on the implications of these meetings.

The party working committee had also condemned the appointment of K.V. Abdul Khader as chairman of the Wakf Board as he had refused to take oath in the name of God.

“Our protest stems from our conviction that a non-believer cannot take fair decisions on religious issues. And the Wakf Board is often called upon to take decisions on religious matters. Mr. Khader is not a religious scholar either,” Mr. Kunhalikutty said. He alleged that the appointment of Mr. Khader was part of a calculated move to undermine the importance of religion.

The meeting also condemned Israeli aggression against Palestine, an issue that had hurt and angered the Muslim community. It also criticised the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government for its “poor performance.”

The IUML’s concern at the aggression of Israel had been conveyed by Mr. Ahamed, who is also the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chairperson of the United Democratic Alliance (UPA) Sonia Gandhi.

Speakers at the meeting wanted both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the IUML to intensify agitations to expose the State government’s failure.

They also expressed the view that the IUML should adopt an election strategy that would not help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in any way but should be in favour of the United Progress Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress which, they believed, had done a lot for minorities.

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