A meeting of Muslim religious organizations in Kozhikode on Wednesday demanded that the Bishop of Pala to withdraw his controversial statement on ‘narcotics jihad’.
Briefing the media after the meeting, IUML high-power committee member and Malappuram district president Panakkad Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal and party organising secretary E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP, said that any statement that undermined the religious harmony of the State was improper. Also, the government should not remain idle when such incidents occur and that it should intervene and take strong action as well, they said.
(The statement of Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, Bishop of the Pala diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church that ‘narcotic jihad’ was targeting young people belonging to non-Muslim faiths had triggered a major controversy. He had also alleged that young women, belonging to Christianity and other non-Muslim faiths, were being lured by ‘jihadis’ through ‘love jihad’ and subjected to exploitation, forced religious conversion and terrorist activities.)
The leaders of the Muslim organisations also welcomed the stand of the government to convene a meeting on the issue. Despite the controversial statement, Muslim organisations had responded to the issue in a very mature manner. However, Muslim organisations strongly protest against the indifference on the part of the government, Mr. Basheer said.
Representatives of 13 Muslim organisations, including Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, Kerala Naduvathul Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Muslim Service Society and Muslim Educational Society took part in the meeting.
However, the Kerala Muslim Jamaath led by Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar stayed away from the meeting.
