KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Muslim Jamaath Federation, which controls over 1,500 mosques in southern and central Kerala, has urged the Muslim youth to make use of the Agnipath scheme and get recruited in the armed forces. The federation has called upon the imams to ask the young people to become Agniveers in their Friday sermons as well.
“The youth who have SSLC qualification and are in the 17-23 age group should apply under the Agnipath at the earliest. It is needed to ensure our representation in the defence forces,” said a letter issued by the federation on June 24. The Kerala Muslim Jamaath Federation comes under the Dakshina Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a traditional Sunni group.
Speaking to TNIE, federation president Kadakkal Abdul Azeez Maulavi asked whether there was anything wrong in asking the youth to make use of an opportunity to get into the armed forces. “We had exhorted the youth to seize the opportunity, but we are yet to offer any assistance or help towards it,” he said.
Vaduthala Kottur Kattupuram mosque jamaat at Arookutty in Alappuzha has already set up a help desk to provide assistance in applying for Agnipath scheme online. “Though we started the help desk last week, the response has been cold. Only two youngsters have come forward to apply for the programme,” said Shaji V A, a clerk at the Jamaat office. But he added that they are getting calls from many Muslim youths from outside the district.
There has been no visible enthusiasm among Muslims in Malabar to become Agniveers. According to Sunni youth leader Sathar Panthaloor, the youngsters are being advised to apply for Agnipath like any other government recruitment drive but no special emphasis is being laid on this. A source at the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM-Markazudawa) said Muslim youth in Malabar are usually less interested in defence recruitment.