By Shafeeq Hudawi, Twocircles.net
Padanna might be just a village in Kasargod district of Kerala, but it has time and again been at the centre of news. On one hand, it was in limelight following two youths who allegedly joined ISIS last year, but on the other hand, it has also displayed a great sense of communal peace and strength when a temple allotted its ground to a Muslim organisation to conduct its district conference. The same temple has scripted a new chapter in the history of communal harmony in north Kerala by allowing Jamat-e- Islami functionaries to hold their district conference.
The district conference of Jamat-e-Islami was scheduled to be held at Mundiavalapp here. When space was found to be inadequate to meet the seating arrangements for around 5,000 delegates, the organisers approached the temple committee seeking a favour. “Space was not enough to set up a stage, seating arrangement, exhibition hall and book fair. We were left with no option but to approach the temple authorities,” said Jamat-e-Islami Padanna area president Basheer Shivapuram.
The temple authorities came up with a favourable action after convening an urgent meeting. “We wrote a letter to the temple committee, which unanimously decided to grant us permission to use temple yard,” he added. In order to make it easier, the temple authorities also agreed to break its wall between its compound and conference ground.
The organizers used the space for one week. “We set up the stage right in front of the temple. And the week-long exhibition was held at the temple compound,” Basheer added.