Muslim League to stay in UDF, says present situation doesn’t warrant rethink

KOZHIKODE:  The Indian Union Muslim League dismissed reports on its “likely” switch to the Left front as rumours, saying present situation does not warrant a rethink on its political stand. “As far as we are concerned, it is not the time to think of any other political line,” said IUML acting state general secretary PMA Salam. He said the League was an integral part of the UDF.

Salam was reacting to a volley of questions at a news conference on whether the party was thinking of any alternative other than the UDF. Such rumours were rife, especially after LDF MLA K T Jaleel held a meeting with Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty. “How can we know that what Jaleel said was the CPM line,” asked Salam, adding the party does not think the CPM had extended a welcome to join the LDF.

Salam said the party is opposing the CPM because of its anti-people policies. “Our opinion is that CPM also should join the movement led by the Congress against fascism. Congress is the only force that is present in all the states and Parliament, though it suffered setbacks in the elections,” Salam said.

Asked whether the Facebook posts of Jaleel and CPM leader T M Thomas Isaac were meant to create confusion among the rank and file of the IUML, Salam said no one would succeed in that. The IUML’s working committee that met here on Friday asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to step down as home minister and hand over the post to an efficient person considering the deplorable law-and-order situation in the state. “Not a day passes in Thiruvananthapuram city without a serious crime getting reported,” Salam said.

The IUML also decided to intensify agitation against SilverLine. The CM is trying to implement the K-Rail project with an iron hand, he said. Salam said the CPM has finally awakened to the reality that self-financing educational institutions are beneficial to the state. 

‘Government should stop playing with students’ future’

KOZHIKODE: The Indian Union Muslim League had staged violent protests and even tried to kill the
then minister M V Raghavan as part of the protests against such institutions, he said. Salam alleged the education system in the state is in the doldrums. Students are forced to bribe university officials to get
marklists. The government should stop playing with the future of students, he said.