By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent
Kochi: A merger of the Indian National League with the Muslim League was not there in the agenda, stated the INL state president SA Puthiyavalappil and general secretary PMA Salam. The leaders made the matter clear in the conference of the district office-bearers and other leaders. The conference was convened specially in the wake of the media reports that merger talks were going on with the Muslim League. The statements of cordiality by Mr PMA Salam and Muslim League general secretary PK Kunhalikkutty had created rumours that the parties were considering a merger.
“The word ‘merger’ is not in the agenda of the INL”, said SA Puthiyavalappil. However, he added that the party was ready to sit together with the Muslim League. “There is no second thought on the matter that there should be unity in the community. For that, sitting together is important which needs the feeling that all are equal,” he said. He added that sitting together won’t happen in the absence of that feeling. We can’t sit together with those who want all to come under them and obey whatever they say. There is strong complaint in not allowing entry into the LDF and that has been conveyed (to the LDF), said Mr Puthiyavalappil.
There has not been any change in the policies and stands, changes are impossible in the goals but are possible only in the means, said PMA Salam in his speech of explanation of policy. “The party stays with the LDF as there are similarities in the policies of both. There has not been any difference of opinion with the LDF. The INL’s demand that the relation should be on the state level has not yet been fulfilled and the party is pained at this. The INL had submitted letters to the front in 2001 and 2006 asking to take the party into the LDF, but there has been no progress,” said Mr Salam.
The resolution passed by the conference said that the ASEAN Agreement was harmful to the people and that the development of the National High Way should be just.
KP Ismail (district president), Ahmed Devarkovil, Dr NVM Majeed and Rafeeq Parakkal also spoke. AP Abdul Wahab welcomed the audience and CH Musthafa delivered the vote of thanks.
The INL was formed in 1993 when Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait was expelled from IUML.