MALAPPURAM: Hinting that the soft Hindutva line of Congress leaders will not be accepted, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national committee meeting held here on Wednesday passed a resolution opposing the statement of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi that the Bhoomi Pooja ceremony for Ram temple at Ayodhya would become a celebration of national unity.
Given the sensitive equation in state politics between the Congress and IUML, the two leading partners in the United Democratic Front (UDF), the League trod a cautious line and did not make any further comments to strain the relationship.
Political analysts, however, said the IUML’s move to pass the resolution was aimed at reassuring its core Muslim voters whose sentiments may have been hurt after Priyanka’s statement. “We express our disagreement on the statement issued by Priyanka Gandhi on the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. Her statement is very much out of place,” said the two-line resolution released after senior League leaders met at Panakkad.
The party said the resolution was not just against Priyanka’s statement but also against similar views of other senior Congress leaders, referring to those by Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath.
“We don’t want to reopen the discussion on Ram temple. We accept the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya and that chapter is closed now. We had taken a firm stand to protect the country’s religious harmony even during the Babri Masjid demolition. Now, reopening discussions on the temple and SC verdict will only help polarise the country,” said IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty.
Political analysts said the IUML, which boasts 18 MLAs in the Kerala assembly against the Congress’ 21, may also have found comfort in Rahul Gandhi’s statement on Wednesday. In a tweet, Rahul, who sealed the Wayanad seat in the last Lok Sabha elections with the backing of the League, said: ‘Ram is love, he can never appear in hatred. Ram is compassionate, he can never appear in cruelty. Ram is justice, he can never appear in injustice.”
Sebastian Paul, a political observer and former MP, said there is nothing significant in the IUML resolution.“This (Priyanka’s statement) is not going to trigger any political realignment in Kerala. IUML got worried about its voters’ sentiment after seeing the Hindutva stance of Congress in northern states. The IUML move to pass the resolution can be seen only as one to take its Muslim voters into confidence,” he said.
Added writer-orator M N Karassery: “Congress has taken a soft Hindutva stand earlier as well. However, the IUML hasn’t taken a strong stand against it so far. This time too, the IUML might let the stance of Priyanka and other Congress leaders go in a similar manner.”