KOZHIKODE: Finding itself in dire straits after state committee member K Anilkumar’s remark on hijab stirred an unwanted controversy, the CPM distanced itself from his statement, with state secretary M V Govindan saying it was not the party’s policy.
“Choice of dress is the democratic right of an individual,” said Govindan, looking to end the row that hits the party at a time when it is making all-out efforts to woo the Muslim community. Later, Anilkumar, too, stated he would uphold the stand pointed out by Govindan.
Addressing the rationalist conference organised by Essence Global in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, Anilkumar, while underlining CPM’s contribution in introducing ‘free thinking’ in society, had said the party had a role in encouraging Muslim girls in Malappuram to choose whether or not use the headscarf.
The statement drew sharp reactions from the IUML as well as Muslim organisations, including Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama, factions of the Mujahids and Jama’at-e-Islami.
“The dislike for Muslim identity, which is latent in the minds of CPM workers, has been revealed with the remark. They don’t say these things about the religious symbols of other faiths. CPM seems to be allergic to Malappuram,” IUML state general secretary P M A Salam said, adding that the CPM had the habit of intruding into religious beliefs.
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Samastha leader Abdu Samad Pookkottur said Anilkumar’s remark reflected CPM’s anti-religion ideology that was imparted among cadres through party classes.
“The message in the speech is that abstaining from using headscarf is a sign of social progress,” he said.
Congress, too, flayed the CPM. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said there was no difference between BJP, which wants to remove headscarf, and CPM, which claims to tout removal of the hijab as its achievement. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said Anilkumar made the statement deliberately to ensure BJP has a foothold in Kerala.
Adding to the CPM’s woes, organisations loyal to the party found Anilkumar’s remark distasteful, too. INL general secretary Kasim Irikkur said the headscarf was the sign of Muslim identity across the world. Syed Ibrahim Khaleelul Bukhari Thangal, leader of the Kanthapuram faction of Sunnis, said such statements from leaders of the ruling party were regretful. “Hijab-clad girls are scripting new history all over the world,” he said. CPM leaders K T Jaleel and Alappuzha MP A M Ariff were also upset by Anilkumar’s “inappropriate” remark.
Anxious to nip the issue in the bud and prevent further damage to CPM’s vote bank, Govindan asserted that the choice of dress was an individual’s right guaranteed by the Constitution.
“There is no need to turn it into a big issue,” said Govindan, adding that the specific part of Anilkumar’s speech was against party’s policy. He also said CPM had made its stand on the hijab clear when the controversy over girls wearing the headscarf erupted in Karnataka.
In a Facebook post later in the day, Anilkumar said the stand clarified by the party state secretary was his stand too.