A meeting of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) here on Friday reportedly felt that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) was wooing fundamentalist forces to its fold to stabilise its “shaky” base in north Kerala.
By one account, The LDF said a newspaper article by a top IUML leader had supported the decision of the Turkey government to change the status of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul from a historical museum to a mosque.
‘Appeasement’
The 15th century edifice was in turns a cathedral and mosque at different points in its history. The LDF perceived the opinion piece as an indication that the IUML was appeasing fundamentalist outfits by striking such a radical position on the Hagia Sophia issue.
Islamist organisations have historically viewed the secular status of Hagia Sophia with hostility.
LDF convenor A. Vijayaraghavan later told journalists that the IUML’s “radical posture” on Hagia Sophia was a clear indication of the party’s new-found affinity with “extremist influences”.
The IUML had accepted the “spiritual leadership” of the “fundamentalist” Jamaat-e-Islami. He said IUML national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty had returned to State politics to draw extremist organisations into the League camp.
The LDF meeting also reportedly felt that the IUML had struck a symbiotic relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr. Vijayaraghavan said both parties thought they stood to benefit electorally if they polarised Kerala society into competing communal groups.
IUML counters
The IUML has countered the LDF’s charges. Mr. Kunhalikutty said the LDF had cynically exploited Koran and Ramzan charity to shield Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel. He said Central agencies had questioned Dr. Jaleel on suspicion of using religion and matters of faith as a cover to aid the smuggling of gold.
Mr. Kunhalikutty said the IUML and the UDF had taken a principled approach and would not bandy about religious texts, including the Holy Koran, for politicking. He said the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was playing the communal card to attract votes ahead of the local body polls. He and M.K. Muneer, IUML legislature party leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, had held talks with the Congress leaders here.
CPI(M) stance
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) State secretariat here on Friday targeted the IUML for ‘kowtowing’ to the BJP.
CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who chaired the meeting, said Mr. Kunhalikutty had done an about-turn and declared the BJP was the not principal enemy of the League.
Both the parties had joined hands to attack Dr. Jaleel for accepting the Koran as a token of goodwill from the UAE during Ramzan.
The BJP and IUML, with the support of the Congress, had tried to vilify Dr. Jaleel for a gesture that resonated with the Muslim community the world over.
At the same time, the IUML has also made overtures to the Jamaat-e- Islami and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). He said both organisations were radical and sympathetic to the political cause of the ISIS.
Mr Balakrishnan said the IUML, with the Congress in tow, hoped to strike an alliance with divisive forces on either side of the religious spectrum to deny the LDF a second term in government.
Mr. Kunhalikutty seemed to have forgotten that BJP had passed the patently anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act. The party had criminalised the Triple Talaq practice. It had orchestrated the Gujarat genocide and demolished the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
Mr. Balakrishnan urged the Muslim community, secular forces, and other minorities to examine Mr Kunhalikutty’s volte-face.
The CPI(M) would lead the popular mobilisation to protect Kerala’s secular ideals and way of life, he said.