THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the SC verdict quashing the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to the accused in the Bilkis Bano case, CPM has once again scored a point over arch-rival Congress. Since senior CPM leader and All India Democratic Women’s Association national vice-president Subhashini Ali was one of the petitioners, CPM is now seeing an opportunity to declare its credentials in protecting minorities’ rights.
The CPM stance is an extension of its position during the 2016 assembly elections, which saw a major chunk of Muslim votes moving to the Left fold. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan making direct contact with community proved effective in the 2021 assembly elections. The party successfully played a role in organising protests against the Union government’s move to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act and Uniform Civil Code with the CM guaranteeing the Muslim community that the same would not be implemented in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Congress’ failure in organising protests distanced the community from the party. The Bilkis Bano verdict has come at a time when CPM is questioning the Congress’ credentials on secularism and minority protection given its silence on the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration.
CPM has pointed out that though Congress has sufficient presence in the Gujarat assembly, it failed to do anything to help the victim. “Subhasini Ali filed the case for AIDWA,” national president P K Sreemathi told TNIE. “When the Gujarat government issued the remission order, we decided to contest it,” she said.
CPM knows that Congress’ silence on Ram temple will have an impact on its relation with the Muslim community. The leadership feels the Muslim League’s attempt to alleviate the situation will not work out. “Youngsters are educated and have a perception about the incidents happening around them. This will reflect in voting,” a CPM secretariat member from Malabar told TNIE.
Writer M N Karassery too thinks that these developments will have an impact on the community. “The steps taken by CPM will help in make it more attractive to the Muslim community,” he said.
SC VERDICT GIVES HOPE, SAYS KUNHALIKUTTY
Malappuram: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty on Monday said the Supreme Court verdict in the Bilkis Bano case gave hope to people who were concerned about the country’s democratic system. He was speaking to reporters in Malappuram. “It is an incident where the Gujarat government justified and tried to protect the accused in the case by hiding the facts even after knowing that they are the culprits. The rape, murder, and subsequent developments had earlier provoked thoughts in the minds of people that our system is biased. None should be spared by the law no matter the group they belong to,” Kunhalikutty said. Kunhalikutty also said the INDIA alliance was getting into seat-share discussions.