KOZHIKODE: The parliamentary board of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which met here on Tuesday for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections, passed a resolution strongly condemning the rising attacks on Muslims in the country in the wake of BJP returning to power.
After the meeting, IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty told reporters the party will raise in Parliament the incidents of mob violence targetting Muslims. IUML national president Khader Moideen said ‘gau rakshaks’ in North India have turned into ‘gau rakshasas’ and were on a rampage across the country. He appealed to the Prime Minister to put an end to atrocities perpetrated by cow vigilante groups.
The parliamentary board endorsed IUML supremo Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal’s letter to Rahul Gandhi urging him to continue as Congress president despite the electoral setback. Kunhalikutty said it was important Rahul Gandhi remains Congress president and continue to fight even in adverse conditions.
Asked whether the Congress’ drubbing was a result of the failure in forging alliances with like-minded parties, Kunhalikutty said it was unfortunate the alliances could not materialise.
However, he denied it was a lapse on the part of the Congress as other parties to needed to be receptive to the idea an alliance. Khader said the party’s national executive meeting will be held in New Delhi after the holy month of Ramzan. The meeting will chalk out strategies for elections in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra slated to be held in December.
The IUML parliamentary board elected Kunhalikutty and E T Mohammad Basheer as leader and deputy leader respectively of the party in the Lok Sabha.
K Navaskani, who was elected from Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu, will be the party’s whip. P V Abdul Wahab will continue to be the leader of the IUML in the Rajya Sabha, the parliamentary board decided.