MALAPPURAM: Kerala State Wakf Board chairman Syed Rasheed Ali Shihab Thangal and Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal on Tuesday expressed regret over attending the Mujahid state conference at Kooriyad. While attending a joint meeting of Samastha and IUML leaders at Panakkad, the duo agreed that they would take decision on such issues only after consulting the Samastha leadership.
According to a press release issued by Samastha after the meeting, the Panakkad siblings said they understood the pain of Samastha leaders and followers and added they would not detract from the path of their forefathers, who were working for Samastha.
Kerala State Wakf Board chairman Syed Rasheed Ali Shihab Thangal and Muslim Youth League state president Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal had on Saturday attended the Mujahid state conference at Kooriyad despite strong opposition from the Samastha and its feeder organisations. The former attended the ‘Mosque, Madrassa and Mahallu’ session while the latter inaugurated the youth conference.
Ahead of the Mujahid conference, Samastha had issued a statement expressing dissent over the leaders’ decision to attend the conference. Besides, the duo’s decision drew harsh criticism from leaders of Samastha’s feeder organisations like Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF).
In response to the incident, Samastha convened an urgent meeting at Chelari and appointed a five-member committee to discuss the issue and take appropriate action. Apart from Samastha leaders Syed Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal, general secretary K Alikutty Musliyar, M T Abdulla Musliyar and Bahauddeen Muhammed Nadwi, IUML leaders P K Kunhalikutty and Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal attended the meeting.The leaders exhorted the public to abstain from unnecessary debates on social media.