KOZHIKODE: Discontent is simmering in the Muslim community in Kerala over the absence of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi during the discussions on the Waqf Bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. There is a strong feeling in the community that the Congress leader should have acted in a more responsible way when the House was deliberating on an important issue.
T K Ashraf, general secretary of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, said it is highly regrettable that Priyanka, who was elected from Wayanad for fighting the Sangh Parivar, was not present in Lok Sabha. It is a betrayal of voters by Priyanka, who won the elections with a thumping majority with the support of the minorities, especially the Muslims, he said in a Facebook post.
Ashraf, however, congratulated the Congress leadership for coordinating with other allies of the INDIA bloc to present a united face in Lok Sabha. The role played by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress to reach the number of those voted against the Bill to 232 cannot be forgotten. But the Congress and Priyanka should remember that the people of Wayanad know fully well the responsibility of an MP, Ashraf said.
Sathar Panthaloor, former general secretary of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF), said Priyanka has disappointed at a critical juncture. Thanking UDF leaders from Kerala including K C Venugopal, N K Premachandran, and E T Muhammad Basheer, he said Priyanka Gandhi was elected with a margin of over four-and-a-half lakh votes to fight the Sangh Parivar.
In his Facebook post, Sathar said it would be foolish to believe that the Muslim voters of Wayanad, who constitute around 48%, would be satisfied with a wish on Eid day.