Orthodox Sunnis, who constitute the majority of Muslims in the State, have begun a campaign against radical splinter groups within the community, specifically targeting the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), in the wake of the recent killing of a student at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.
The Sunni group led by Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar has given shape to a week-long campaign against the SDPI. The other Sunni group led by Syed Mohammed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal and K. Alikutty Musliar has not yet evolved a campaign, but its leaders said they would fight the spread of extremism within the community at any cost.
Studied decision
Mr. Alikutty Musliar, general secretary of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, said the Muslim body would take a studied decision about the SDPI after evaluating its work and the situation.
The Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), the youth wing of the Kanthapuram Sunni group, at a meeting held here recently, took a pledge that it would not allow anyone to engage in destructive activities in the name of Islam in the State.
The SYS leadership said organisations such as the SDPI should be exposed.
It called upon the community to corner all fundamentalist organisations.
Awareness campaign
The SYS would conduct an awareness campaign against the SDPI at 20 centres in the district from Thursday to Monday.
Public meetings would be held at those centres. The SYS would hold special rallies at Puthanathani and Nilambur on Independence Day seeking freedom from fundamentalism and terror.
Human chains would be formed at 1,186 centres in the district and study classes would be conducted at 118 SYS circles.
SYS general secretary M. Aboobacker inaugurated a leaders’ summit held here.