KOZHIKODE: The Palestine Solidarity Rally organised by the Congress in Kozhikode on Thursday turned out to be a platform for picking holes in the CPM’s pro-Palestine stand and upholding the Congress-IUML camaraderie. Congress leaders, including national general secretary K C Venugopal and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, chose to attack the CPM for questioning the party’s sincerity on the Palestine issue.
“The Soviet Union under Stalin had voted for the formation of Israel. Moreover, a CPM delegation led by Somnath Chatterjee visited Israel seeking investment. After 18 months, Jyoti Basu himself visited Israel and held talks with the country’s prime minister and foreign minister,” Satheesan said. He said Basu didn’t meet Palestine leader Yasser Arafat to avoid antagonising Israel. “Krishnan Kaniyamparambil, minister for agriculture in the Nayanar government, visited Israel to study agriculture there. Agriculture secretary in the Pinarayi ministry too had visited Israel. Such a party is finding fault with the Congress,” he said.
Indirectly referring to the CPM, Venugopal said there are people here who question the Congress’ stand on Palestine. Taunting the CPM, he said “we don’t bend before America nor do we bend before China.”
Venugopal congratulated IUML state president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal for not falling prey to the trap. It may be recalled that there was a controversy over the CPM’s invitation to IUML to the Palestine solidarity rally organised by the party.
‘Congress should come to power at Centre’
In his address, Thangal said the relationship between the Congress and IUML will continue. “There will be invitations from various quarters but the IUML stand is not for power but based on principles,” Thangal said.
IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said Congress should come to power at the Centre to help resolve the Palestine issue. Kunhalikutty said it’s the voice of Congress that matters and not that of those sitting on the fence. CPM has not fully become a part of the INDIA front, he said.
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, whose remark on Hamas at the IUML rally became a controversy, said his words were cherry-picked. Those who made the controversy didn’t listen to what was said before and after the remark. He reiterated his commitment to the people of Palestine and asserted that he didn’t say anything to support Israel.
AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar, Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama president Syed Muhammad Jiffiri Muthukoya Thangal, Kanthapuram Sunni group leader Syed Ebrahim Khaleelul Bukhari Thangal, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen president T P Abdulla Koya Madan and others attended the programme.