KOZHIKODE : The management of Suprabhatham, the mouthpiece of Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, has denied the allegations of policy deviations by the daily.
Through an article published on Thursday, Suprabhatham chief executive officer Musthafa Mundupara said the policies of the newspaper were prepared in consultation with senior leaders Panakkad Syed Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal, Cherusseri Zainudeen Musliyar and Kottumala T M Bappu Musaliyar months before its launch.
He clarified that carrying the adverts of the UDF and the LDF was in line with the daily’s policies.
It may be recalled that there were objections from some quarters when the daily carried the advertisement of the LDF during the Lok Sabha elections. It was argued that the action contradicted the tradition of the newspaper.
Mundupara also clarified that the date for the inauguration of the Gulf edition of the paper was fixed after checking with the leaders including Panakkad Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal and P K Kunhalikutty. These leaders, however, did not turn up for the inauguration.
On the other hand, CPM leader and Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas was present at the function, stirring up a row. Moreover, Suprabhatham chief editor Bahaudeen Muhammad Nadvi said that shouting ‘takbir’ while Riyas was speaking, was improper.
Defending the move in the article, Mundupara said CPM leader the late Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was present at the launch of the daily in 2014. He said other CPM leaders including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former speaker P Sreeramakrishnan had also attended programmes organised by the daily before.
“The launch of the Gulf edition is a milestone. Suprabhatham will soon become a reality in other GCC countries too. NRI organisations and the well-wishers of the newspaper are involved in the process,” he said.
Meanwhile, Samastha sought an explanation from Bahaudeen on Wednesday after he told a television channel that there are ‘policy deviations’ in the organisation and the daily.