MALAPPURAM: Vishu greetings posted by Perinthalmanna block panchayat president and Youth League national secretary Najma Tabsheera has invited severe backlash online, sparking a debate on faith, identity and cultural participation within the IUML.
The video shared on social media drew a barrage of hate comments, with a section of users, including some IUML workers, accusing Najma of deviating from what they described as “IUML and Muslim traditions.” While the criticism was framed in political terms by some, a significant number of remarks took on a distinctly communal tone.
However, Najma, who alleged that many of the ‘hate’ accounts were linked to extremist Islamic groups, maintained that she would not be intimidated.
“This is not the first time I am facing cyberbullying from extremist groups,” she told TNIE.
“I do not find anything wrong in the video, which I recorded at Kalpathy in Palakkad. My family and I were en route to another place and stopped at Kalpathy for a filter coffee. There, we saw families celebrating Vishu. They also invited us to burst crackers and invited us into their house see the ‘vishukani’. In the video, my son and I are seen viewing the ‘vishukani’ and this may have triggered the reactions. However, I was not concerned about such responses when I shot and shared the video,” Najma said.
Addressing criticism from within the IUML, Najma said only a small group of party workers were irked. “On Vishu, several IUML leaders, including P K Kunhalikutty, extended greetings and accepted ‘kaineettam’.
Like any other Malayali, there is nothing wrong in participating in such celebrations. There is always a small section in every group that opposes any move. Many IUML workers backed me in the comment section,” she said.
She also pointed to a stark contrast in responses across platforms. “I posted the video on Facebook and Instagram and got busy with work. When I checked my phone an hour later, Instagram was filled with positive reactions and affectionate comments.
However, the comment section on Facebook was flooded with hate messages. Some attempted to lecture me on Islamic values, while others questioned my integrity as a Muslim League member. Several posts were shared criticising me, and even Left-affiliated pages appeared to celebrate the cyber attack,” she said.