KOZHIKODE: The state secretariats of the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS) and Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF), the feeder organisations of the Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema, will convene an urgent meeting on Wednesday to discuss the developments after Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal participated in the programme of the Confederation of Islamic Colleges (CIC) violating Samastha’s direction.
Thangal attended the inauguration of the Varakkal Mullakoya Thangal Memorial College built by the CIC at Nadapuram on Monday. CIC general secretary Abdul Hakkeem Faizi, who was ousted from the Samastha, was also present at the function. Last week, the mushawara (supreme consultative body) of Samastha reiterated that it will not co-operate with the CIC as long as Faizi continues to be the general secretary.
Samastha had found out that Faizi had deviated from the basic ideology of the Sunnis and had allegedly insulted the leaders of Samastha. Reacting to the allegations, Faizi stated that he still believes in the ideology of Samastha. He alleged that the action by the organisation is the handiwork of a group within the Samastha, which does not have the mandate of the majority within the organisation.
What complicates the matter is that Sadiq Ali Thangal is the state president of the SYS, which had asked its cadres not to associate with the functions organised by those who have been ousted from Samastha. Sadiq Ali Thangal is questioning Samastha’s directions not for the first time. He had attended the Wafy-Wafiyya fest organised by the CIC a few months ago. Samastha had given a call that no one associated with the organisation should attend the function held in Kozhikode.
Sources said that Thangal had agreed to stay away from the function at Nadapuram. Later, after the intervention of local IUML leadership, it was decided that Thangal would attend the function, but Hakkeem Faizi would not be present on the stage at that time. But to the dismay of the Samastha leadership, both Thangal and Faizi shared the stage.
Meanwhile, IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said there is no merit in the media reports that Sadiq Ali Thangal attended the meeting violating Samastha’s direction. He told reporters that the sharing of stage in Nadapuram was purely accidental.