KOZHIKODE: IUML leaders have stated that the party will discuss state Congress president K Sudhakaran’s remarks that he had made arrangements for the protection of RSS sakhas against the attack from the CPM.Party state president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal told reporters that the leaders didn’t get time to discuss the issue as many of them were away. “Let us discuss the issue among ourselves,” he said. IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said it is up to the Congress leader to explain the statement.
It is learnt that the party will discuss the controversial statement in detail at the meeting to be held soon. IUML also sees seriously the government’s move to take away the chancellor’s position from the Governor. The party wants an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, former minister and IUML leader P K Abdu Rabb has come out with a strong Facebook post against Sudhakaran’s statement. Sudhakaran had said that his intention was to protect the fundamental right of the RSS. In the post, Abdu Rabb wanted to know whose fundamental rights have been protected by the RSS. Without naming the state Congress president, Rabb said what is the point in trying to protect the rights of RSS which never cared about others’ rights. He added that there is no meaning in trying to protect RSS’s rights which are against minorities and oppressed classes.
It should be recalled that the IUML leadership was clearly offended when Sudhakaran had told TNIE earlier in its Express Dialogues series that the Sword of Damocles was hanging around the head of P K Kunhalikutty, MLA. The Congress leadership was worried about the IUML raising it at the last UDF leadership meeting.
But contrary to fears, the IUML did not raise it much to the relief of the Congress leadership. But the grapevine was that Opposition leader V D Satheesan had tried to appease the IUML leadership saying that Sudhakaran did not mean to offend Kunhalikutty. With RSP state leadership already upset with the Congress leadership, Satheesan ensured that the IUML leadership does not take up cudgels against the Congress lest the party will be alienated in the UDF meeting.