THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As leader of opposition V D Satheesan’s attempt to ‘whitewash’ Jamaat-e-Islami, backfired politically in Nilambur, the Congress has started damage control efforts. KPCC president Sunny Joseph has met powerful Muslim and Christian leaders in this regard. The move comes days before the visit of Congress general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi to Nilambur which is part of her LS constituency.
Sunny Joseph, who is close to Thamarassery Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil, met the latter on Friday. The meeting came after the Catholic Congress under the powerful Thamarassery Diocese issued a strong statement against Congress - Welfare Party tie-up. The KPCC chief reportedly clarified the party’s stand to the bishop. He also sought the Church’s support. According to sources close to the Church, Sunny Joseph held talks with Catholic Congress leaders. The KPCC president also met Jifri Muthukoya Thangal, the president of Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama, on Thursday.
There is criticism among UDF partners that the opposition leader’s ‘certificate’ to the Jamaat-e-Islami was an unwanted one. They are of the view that it gave both the CPM and BJP a political weapon which could have a far-reaching effect even in national politics.
“There is still suspicion over the controversial stand of Jamaat on Indian democracy, religious state and Constitution,” a Congress PAC member told TNIE. “It is no surprise that almost all prominent Muslim community organisations including Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulma, and Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, and the Catholic Congress, a lay organisation of Syro-Malabar Catholics of Thamarassery Diocese, had come out strongly against the Jamaat-e-Islami- Congress alleged tie-up,” he added.
The Congress-UDF leadership has decided not to entertain questions about Jamaat-e-Islami, Welfare Party and Congress ‘tie-up’. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal’s attempt to evade questions about the controversy, and senior leader K Muraleedharan playing down the issue are seen as part of this strategy. The party has decided to focus on the governance of the LDF government.
There is also apprehension that though Venugopal’s attack against CM’s alleged anti- Malappuram remark was a success, the Jamaat controversy spoiled the edge. “There are chances that the RSS -BJP may use the Jamaat controversy against the Gandhi family and the Congress in north India,” a senior Congress leader told TNIE. “As state assembly elections are approaching, we do not want any kind of political debate on that,” he said.