THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOLLAM : In an evident political move ahead of the crucial assembly by-election in Palakkad, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asserted that the IUML has warmed up to the SDPI and Jamaat-e-Isami after Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal assumed the office of the party’s state president.
Firing a fresh salvo at the Muslim League president, Pinarayi said there has been many Thangals from the Panakkad family, but he has criticised only Sadiq Ali. The CM said he criticised Sadiq Ali for his role as IUML president.
“Aren’t you responsible for taking a pro-SDPI and pro-Jamaat-e-Islami stance?” Pinarayi asked Thangal.
“We are naturally bound to state our opinion. But the League says we should not do so. This is the language of terrorists. No League worker should approach us speaking such a language,” the CM said during the inauguration of the CPM area committee office at Neduvathur in Kollam on Tuesday.
He also targeted the Congress, accusing the party of compromising its secular credentials ahead of the by-elections.
“The Congress cannot reject SDPI’s votes in Wayanad. While the CPM has always taken a firm stance against communalism, the Congress seems to be pandering to communal forces for mere electoral gains,” said Pinarayi.
CPM has always opposed all forms of communalism, says CM Pinarayi
“Is this the path they want to tread to garner votes? Such moves are damaging the country,” he said.
The CM further alleged that Congress leaders in Palakkad had welcomed an RSS member, a move that has reportedly alienated secular factions within the Congress as well as the IUML.
He said the CPM has always opposed all forms of communalism. He recalled that several CPM workers had lost their lives in the Thalassery riots, for the sake of protecting a mosque.
The CM’s fresh offensive against Thangal came despite the Muslim League and the UDF taking strong exception to his earlier comments accusing the IUML supremo of breaking away from the glorious legacy of the Panakkad Thangals and behaving like a Jamat-e-Islami follower.
Addressing an LDF election rally on Sunday, the CM launched the first round of attack on Sadiq Ali.
He alleged that Sadiq Ali did not have the qualities of his eldest brother, Syed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal, who was also a former state president of IUML.
Pinarayi’s criticism invited a strong rebuke from the Muslim League with its national secretary PK Kunhalikutty retorting that the CM’s remarks were borne out of his jealousy towards Sadiq Ali Thangal.