KOZHIKODE: Exposing the widening chasm between the Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema and the IUML, prominent members of the Panakkad family openly defied the former and attended the Wafy-Wafiyya Fest and convocation function. Samastha had called for boycotting the programme, organised by the Co-ordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC).
Samastha general secretary K Alikutty Musaliyar had written to the leaders of the feeder organisations that the mushawara (supreme consultation forum) of the organisation had decided to dissociate with the CIC till it agreed to implement the decisions taken at the Panakkad house earlier.
‘Attempts being made to divide Muslim vote bank’
Organisations such as Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) and Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Qutba were asked not to cooperate with the programmes of the CIC.
But the senior members of the Panakkad family, including Sadiq Ali Thangal, Hameed Ali Thangal and Abhas Ali Thangal, attended the convocation function. Sadiq Ali Thangal is the state president of the SYS and Hameed Ali Thangal state president of the SKSSF. Abhas Ali Thangal is the Malappuram district president of the SYS.
The issues between Samastha and CIC started with the latter’s move to amend its constitution. Samastha suspected that CIC was trying to free itself from Sunni ideology and embracing ‘deviant’ ideologies with the tacit support of the IUML. But the CIC contended that it was the ego and the stubbornness of some of the Samastha mushawara members that led to the stand-off.
Though there were no overt political statements at the conference, CIC general secretary Abdul Hakkeem Faizy hinted that the Panakkad family holds the “common leadership” of the Muslim community. He added that the leadership of the Panakkad family is higher than any other leadership.
Faizy said that the forces that have realised the power of the Muslim vote bank are hell-bent on dividing the community’s votes. He cautioned the community not to be lured by such elements, indirectly hinting the efforts of the CPM to woo a section of the Samastha.
In his address, IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty asked the gathering not to use social media for divisive activities. But curiously the Wafy Excellence award instituted by Qatar Wafy unit and the Fazalu Remhman memorial award were conferred on Dr Lukumanul Wafy, the social media warrior of the CIC. He was hailed as a strong presence in social media to defend the CIC against the onslaughts from the opposite group. Secretary general of League of Islamic Universities Dr Osama Al Abed inaugurated the fest. Muslim Youth League state president Panakkad Syed Munvvar Ali Shihab Thangal is scheduled to attend a session on Friday.
Call for boycott ignored
Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema had called for boycotting the Wafy-Wafiyya Fest, convocation