MALAPPURAM: Looking to kill two birds with one stone, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is setting up a children’s wing, ‘Bala Keralam’, to attract newer generations to the party while also countering ‘Balasangham’, an identical initiative of the ruling CPM.
Children aged between 5 and 15 will be made part of the wing and be given political and moral lessons. Muslim Students Federation, the student outfit of the League, has already started setting up unit, panchayat, mandalam, district and state committees of the proposed wing.
The organisational structure of Bala Keralam will be set up in its entirety by the start of November, MSF state president P K Navas told TNIE. Leaders of Bala Keralam will be selected through various contests, including speech and writing competitions, and after considering the students’ abilities.
“Political education, besides awareness classes on staying away from drugs, alcohol and tobacco products will be given to children. Columns will be published in IUML mouthpiece Chandrika for Bala Keralam members. They will be informed about the history of IUML through an exclusive magazine and YouTube channel that would be launched soon. Some interesting cartoon characters will teach history to students through the channel,” Navas said.
Students keeping away from politics: MSF dist prez
In the 2021 assembly election, the IUML leadership had carried out a study on ways to attract more youngsters and later identified the importance of moulding children in the 5-15 age group. Through the new wing, IUML also hopes to induct more members into the party in the long run.
MSF Malapuram district president Kabeer Muthuparamba said, “These days, some students keep away from politics and hardly show interest in the issues of students and people. Bala Keralam will instill political and moral values in children,” he said. Once all the committees of the wing are formed, IUML will add the outfit to the party’s constitution.