KOZHIKODE: Nazar Faizy Koodathayi, secretary of Sunni Yuvajana Sangam (SYS), a feeder organisation of Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama, has retracted his statement that SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan should try to conduct the marriage of his son to the daughter of NSS general secretary Sukumaran Nair before forging an alliance between the two organisations. He made the remarks at a programme ‘Panakkad Paithrukam’ at Malappuram on Tuesday.
Koodathayi said those who speak for unity should show it by performing inter-caste marriage. “Can Vellappally set the example by performing the marriage of his son with the daughter of NSS general secretary. Let unity begin from there,” he said.
Koodathayi later withdrew his remarks after it became a controversy. He told reporters that there was a lack of vigil on his part in selecting the example.
“I express my regret to both the communities and their leaders for making the remarks. The example was inappropriate in the context,” he said.
Koodathayi, however, said he sticks to his opinion that unity of any groups should not be based on the hatred towards any other community because that would create communal polarisation. It is learnt that Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama and IUML leaderships are unhappy with the statement and have asked Koodathayi to withdraw the remarks to prevent further damage.
Some Hindu organisations have reacted harshly to the SYS leader’s statement. Hindu Aikya Vedi leader R V Babu said that while Jama’at-e-Islami is arguing for an Islamic state, others are speaking against Nair- Ezhava unity. “And both the Congress and communist parties are clapping,” he said in a Facebook post.