KOZHIKODE: Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) has alleged that IUML state general P M A Salam is creating divisions in society and asked the party leaders to rein him. In a statement issued in Kozhikode, SKSSF state secretariat said that Salam had earlier insulted Samastha president and after that, he went against SKSSF state president Panakkad Syed Hamid Ali Shihab Thangal.
“It is Salam’s antagonism against Samastha that is getting reflected in his remarks. Such moves that are aimed at thwarting the long-standing relationship between Samastha and IUML should be viewed seriously,” the statement said. SKSSF added that those who come out against Samastha and its leaders, no matter how big they are, will have to pay a heavy price. It may be recalled that during the latest edition of Express Dialogues on Sunday, Salam had said that no one knew who the present president of SKSSF was.
He had also stated that the president’s name crops up only when he signs controversial statements. SKSSF president Hamid Ali Shihab Thangal is the second son of late Panakkad Syed Umar Ali Shihab Thangal, who was the chairman of Kerala Waqf Board and the president of the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS).
The Samastha leaders are also angry over Salam’s statement that the Sunni organisation had not achieved anything without the support of IUML. Sources said that there are numerous instances when Samastha fought the legal battle alone without anyone’s support. They point out the instance of the government’s order in 2016 that madrassas and orphanages in the state should be brought under the purview of the Juvenile Justice Act.
“The situation was that those managing the orphanages and madrassas were threatened with hefty fine and jail sentence if they failed to register under the JJ Act. Samastha had fought the issue in the Supreme Court almost single-handedly and got a favourable verdict. More than 150 orphanages in the state are enjoying the benefit of the legal battle,” a Samastha leader told TNIE.
No soft-Hindutva in Congress, says Tariq Anwar
Kozhikode: AICC is committed to secularism, irrespective of the prevailing socio-political conditions, the party’s general secretary Tariq Anwar told reporters in Kozhikode on Monday. Recalling that IUML general secretary P M A Salam had said the Congress’ ‘soft Hindutva approach’ in north India was one of the reasons for the party’s failure in the past, Tariq rejected the claim and emphasised that the Congress is a secular party. On the possibility of Rahul Gandhi contesting the Lok Sabha from Wayanad, Anwar said while the party anticipates the leader to contest the seat, the final decision rests with Rahul himself.