By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Calicut: The history of the Muslim leaders who sacrificed their life and blood for the course of the country’s freedom struggle were tarnished by the people with hideous and vested intentions, said K Rahman Khan, Union Minister for Minority Affairs. He was inaugurating the closing ceremony of the three days long Kerala Muslim History conference at the JDT Islam Campus in Calicut.
“Our history textbooks hesitate to provide deserved space for the names of the Muslim scholars and scientists who chose martyrdom in the struggle of 1857,” said the Minority Affair Minister. “Tipu Sultan is among those great warriors whose history was always side-lined and misrepresented. He was portrayed as a religious fanatic and his social reformations have always been denigrated by the historians,” he added.
K Rahman Khan is presented the memento of the Kerala Muslim Heritage Foundation by T. Arifali, Ameer JIH Kerala. M.I. Shanavas MP, T.K. Hamza, Sheikh Muhammad Karakkunnu, Dr. Fazal Gafoor etc are beside them.
Rahman Khan said that the national heritage Taj Mahal is now depicted as an erstwhile temple and Qutub Minar as a monument which was built by a Hindu ruler. The derailment of existing social harmony is the main motive of those polluted minds. He also emphasized the need for the compilation and regaining of the glorious history of Muslims and their rich heritage.
There is a conscious effort in marginalizing the prominent minorities of the country -Muslims, opined T Arifali, Ameer Jamate Islami Kerala in his presidential address of the session.
“The projection of the flaws and faults of Muslims are wide-spread. At the same time mainstream ignores the sacrifices and dedicatons of Muslims toward the nation building. This paradoxy questions the credence of secular historians,” Arifali said.
He suggested to include Kerala Muslim history in the Madrassa syllabuses along with their personas. Muslim confidence definetly matter on the awareness of their heritage and traditions, added Arifali.
Several other national and state leaders participated in the programme.
The conference aimed to enquire the history of Kerala Muslims. About 200 hundred papers were presented under various topics in different sessions on four stages in three days by scholars, students and pioneers of history. The prominent historians like MGS Narayanan, Dr. KKN Kurupp, Dr. Hun San Ho from Duke University, London, Dr. T. Jamal Muhammed etc participated in the conference and presented their views.
Manjalamkuzhi Ali, the Minister for Minority Affairs Kerala State had inaugurated the History Conference on 22nd December, Sunday. Prominent Columnist and Professor of the Catholic University, Australia Dr. Irfan Ahamad was the chief guest in inaugural session.
E.T. Muhammad Basheer MP and leaders of Muslim organisations like Sayyid Munavarali Shihab Thangal, Prof. K A Sideeq Hassan, Adv.K. P Muhammad, C.P Kunju Muhammad and C.P Umar Sullami also delivered speeches. Kerala Muslim Heritage foundation Chairman Sheikh Muhamed Karakkunnu presided the inaugural session.
Over 2000 people from different walks of the society participated in the conference. An exhibition ‘Paithrukam’ or the Heritage, presented the unique Muslim heritage. Cultural eve in the nights consisting Muslim traditional arts like Kolkkali, Tattumpattum and Mappila songs made the conference more colourful.