MALAPPURAM: The youth and student wings of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have intensified their opposition to the UDF government’s decision to move ahead with the PM SHRI scheme, turning the issue into a fresh point of friction within the ruling coalition.
The Muslim Youth League, in a meeting held in Malappuram on Saturday, passed a strongly worded resolution demanding that the government immediately abandon the programme. The Muslim Students Federation (MSF) leadership had also taken a firm stand earlier, calling for a complete withdrawal of the scheme and rejecting any further discussion or negotiation on its implementation.
The resolution, adopted at the Youth League Vallikunnu constituency committee programme, launched a sharp political attack on the PM SHRI project, describing it as constitutionally problematic and inconsistent with the state’s obligations under the federal framework. It argued that the scheme weakens federal principles and violates the spirit of the Constitution.
The resolution also claimed that the mandate given to the UDF in the last assembly election was to resist the implementation of what it termed the Sangh Parivar agenda in the education sector. It further asserted that safeguarding secular values in education is a democratic responsibility and called for collective resistance against attempts to introduce ideological influence in the state’s school system.
The Youth League had also reportedly submitted a public letter to a cabinet sub-committee, urging the government not to alter its position on PM SHRI. The letter, initiated by the Malappuram Mandal Committee, was sent to the Kunnummal Post Office, reflecting a coordinated organisational campaign from the grassroots level against the scheme.
The MSF leadership has also come out strongly against the government’s stand. MSF general secretary C K Najaf, told TNIE the organisation is prepared to mobilise crowdfunding if concerns over central financial assistance are used to justify the scheme.
“PM SHRI initiative is part of an attempt to distort history and saffronise the curriculum. The financial incentives cannot be used as a basis to accept a policy that the organisation considers ideologically driven. The government should withdraw from the scheme immediately. Resistance will intensify if the decision is not reversed,” he said.
Opinions against scheme
Constitutionally problematic
Inconsistent with state’s obligations under the federal framework
Part of an attempt to distort history and saffronise the curriculum