KOZHIKODE: Factionalfeud in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) reached a flashpoint on Thursday with party president Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal’s son Moyin Ali blasting party general secretary P K Kunhalikutty for mishandling the party’s funds, at a media conference here.
Dramatic scenes followed when Kunhalikutty’s close confidant and IUML worker Rafi Puthiyakadavu disrupted the press meet and verbally abused Moyin Ali, a member of the Muslim community’s most respected family in the state.
The news conference was convened by advocate Muhammad Shah for defending the charges of money laundering against IUML mouthpiece Chandrika and the ED notice served on Hyderali Thangal. Moyin Ali stepped in to present the ‘chargesheet’ against Kunhalikutty.
“For the past 40 years, Kunhalikutty has been handling the party funds. Hyderali Thangal’s post is only an honorary one and he does not involve in its day-today affairs. Chandrika financial director Shameer is responsible for the present crisis,” said Moyin Ali.
‘No one in Panakkad family handles Chandrika funds’
He said everyone in the party is silent about Kunhalikutty because they are afraid of him. He said Hyder Ali’s current health issues are a reflection of the troubles in ‘Chandrika’. No one in Panakkad family handles the funds and it is entirely done by Kunhalikutty, who appointed Shameer as the financial director. Kunhalikutty should have answered the legal questions related to Chandrika, said Muslim Youth League national vice-president Moyin Ali. Demanding Shameer’s suspension, Moyin Ali said the entire problem in the daily is due to his mismanagement.
“There are issues related to provident fund, gratuity and salary in Chandrika. Shameer does not come to Chandrika and the financial documents are sent to his office elsewhere. We don’t know which are the documents,” he said. He also alleged there are issues in the purchase of land for the daily.