By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Malappuram: The statement of the state Chief Minister that Christian and Muslim communalism was increasing in Kerala attracted strong criticism of political leaders across the state. The major parties Congress and Muslim League have strongly come forward to condemn the CM’s statement. The leaders also accused the CPI (M) of inciting communal feelings and appeasing majority communalism.
The CPI (M) is now experimenting the ‘Modi’ model in Kerala, said PK Kunhalikkutty, state general secretary of the Muslim League. The Chief Minister’s statement is actually encouraging communalism of the majority. This is part of the secret agenda of the CPI (M). The left front used the Jamat e Islami and the PDP in the last general election. Now they are resorting to play the communal card as the other tricks have failed. The words of the Chief Minister have wounded two communities. His words have the language of communal parties. The CM should withdraw his statement and apologise, he added.
Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan is trying to incite communal feelings, accused KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala. The Congress is an organization that stands for protecting secularism. And it doesn’t need the certificate of Mr Achuthanandan. The CPI (M) had extolled Abdunnasir Madani and shared stage with the PDP, and worked together with the Jamat e Islami. Now they discover communalism in them; this change of policies is clearly to promote communalism of the majority community, he added.
The Chief Minister’s statement is the political trick of the CPI (M) to appease and keep together with them the RSS and Hindu communalists, opined union minister Vayalar Ravi. The CPI (M) is now holding together PC Thomas who had joined with the BJP and was barred by the Supreme Court for playing the communal card in election. The CPI (M) had never earlier said that the Jamat e Islami was communalistic. They have turned against Muslims due to their failure in Ponnani in the Parliament election, he added.
The Chief Minister’s statement about the growth of Christian- Muslim communalism in the state is not right, said BJP state president V Muralidharan. The statement is made aiming at the vote bank only. The CPI (M) is deliberately trying to create communal riot in Kerala, he accused.
In another development, CPI (M) state general secretary Pinarayi VIjayan said that the policy of the CPI (M) and the LDF was to alienate communalism of the majority and the minority. The CPI (M) strongly condemns the approach of portraying innocent Muslims as terrorists. The wrong policies of the central government are the reason for Muslims being hunted in the country. Communalism should be seen as communalism and there should not be any compromise in that.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister yesterday accused the Congress of bringing up all types communalism including that of the majority community. He was responding to the statement of union minister Vayalar Ravi that the CM was appeasing majority communalism. He added that it was the CPI (M) which criticized Hindu communalism most and suffered a lot as a left secular party.
The Chief Minister had said on Tuesday that Christian-Muslim communalism was increasing in Kerala and that it was behind the curtain of secularism of the Congress party. He made the statement mentioning the merger of the two Kerala Congresses headed by Christians and the talks held by the Muslim League with the Jamat e Islami. The Kerala Congress (Joseph) which was in the ruling LDF has recently merged with the Kerala Congress (Mani) which is in the UDF. The CPI (M) accused that the merger was done as per the directions of the Christian Church, and it had no other political reasons. The Muslim League leaders held talks with the leaders of the Jamat e Islami but soon had to talk against the Jamat as strong opposition came from within and outside the party against any alliance with the JIH. The Jamat e Islami and the Social Democratic Party of India have decided to contest in the coming three-tier panchayat elections in the state. All political parties are busy making and unmaking alliances and understandings in Kerala.