In a massive show of strength, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) organised a protest rally on Kozhikode beach on Thursday evening against the decision of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to hand over Waqf Board appointments to the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC).
Inaugurating the Waqf protection rally, IUML Malappuram district president Panakkad Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal said the party would not bow out from its agitation until the PSC (Additional Functions as Respects the Services Under the Waqf Board ) Act 2021, which was passed in Assembly a month ago, was repealed.
The IUML would continue its struggle against the government if it tried to trample upon the rights of the Muslim community enshrined in the Constitution, the Thangal said.
Taking a dig at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan without naming him, the Thangal said it was nothing more than wishful thinking of the Cliff House (official residence of the Chief Minister) to drive a wedge between the party and community leaders on the Waqf appointment issue.
The Thangal, who is also State vice president of Sunni Yuva Jana Sangham had a cautious word for IUML-backed Samastha Kerala Jem'iyyathul Ulema which held direct parleys with Mr. Vijayan on the issue on Tuesday.
Religious leaders had always supported the party in its endeavours whenever Muslims faced injustice from the ruling class, he said, adding that the rally on Thursday was also to stress the unity of community as well strengthen the bond of understanding among other communities.
He pointed out that the argument of the State government that the decision to entrust the Waqf appointments to PSC was to improve efficiency defied logic. Of the over 5 lakh government employees, only about 2 lakh appointments had been done through the PSC. The rest were recruited through universities, boards and other bodies.
“Shouldn't the government think about improving the efficiency of these appointments when the Waqf board has only 106 employees on its rolls? So this decision has been taken with ulterior motives,” the Thangal said.
He said the rally was just a reminder to the government that the IUML was not organising a protest for the first time. And also not for the last time, he added.
IUML leaders P.K. Kunhalikutty and M.K. Muneer, MLAs, and party general secretary P.M.A. Salam addressed the meeting.
