Our ties with Congress date back to Indira’s time, Rahul remark based on party’s experience: IUML

KOZHIKODE: While the statement by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Washington DC in the US that Muslim League is a secular party has drawn sharp retorts from the BJP, IUML has said that the remarks by Rahul on the secular credentials of IUML was based on the experience of the Congress party.
Stating that IUML’s close relationship with Congress dates back to the time of Indira Gandhi, IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said that the party looks at the remarks made by Rahul with great responsibility.
IUML is a party which has taken the political organization of Muslims in post-Independence India in a cent percent right path, he said. “The seven-and-a-half-decade old history of IUML along with the country is an open book. No one would be able to find any trace of communalism or divisiveness in the path of Muslim League and it has been proved by our history,” Kunhalikutty added.
He said that in the days following the demolition of Babri Masjid when some tried to take the Muslim community along a wrong path by trying to unleash violence in a bid to exploit the situation, it was IUML which resisted such efforts and guided the community on the correct path.
“The country as well as the society has experienced the benefits of that. Even the BJP in the state has openly admitted that. The political opponents had to acknowledge the activities of the Muslim League which has steadfastly stood with the secular block,” Kunhalikutty said.
While replying to a question during a news conference at the National Press Club on the alliance of Congress with IUML in Kerala, Rahul said that there is nothing non-secular about Muslim League. “Muslim League is a completely secular party. There is nothing non-secular about Muslim League. I think the person (who sent the question) has not studied the Muslim League,” Rahul said.
Union minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju took exception to the remarks saying that it was extremely unfortunate that some people in the country still consider the person who supports the Muslim League as secular. BJP leader Amit Malviya said in a tweet that Rahul’s statement was also due to his compulsion to remain acceptable in Wayanad.