MALAPPURAM: In Malappuram, loyalty to the Indian Union Muslim League often runs deep. Few, however, embody it as vividly as 82-year-old Medan Ahammed, whose commitment to the party extends far beyond politics into the fabric of his daily life.
Ahammed’s association with the party dates back to 1964, when IUML stalwart Pookkoya Thangal presented him with a green shirt in recognition of his support and as part of the the party’s green volunteer movement. What began as a symbolic gesture soon became a lifelong identity. Since then, Ahammed has worn only green shirts to party events, turning his attire into an expression of allegiance.
A native of Panakkad, Ahammed shares a close bond with the Kodappanakkal household. He recalls a deep personal connection with the late Syed Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal. “I have been an active worker of the League from a young age. Hyder Ali Thangal and I were childhood friends, and I share a close relationship with the Thangal family. Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal is like a son to me. I am among the few who can call him ‘Sadiq mone’,” he said.
Ahammed also remembers being part of a historic moment in the party’s organisational journey. “In 1964, Umerali Shihab Thangal, the second son of Pookkoya Thangal, initiated the idea of forming green volunteers. I was part of the first batch. The uniforms were stitched in Coimbatore. On the inaugural day, Pookkoya Thangal handed me the first green shirt. It was a great honour. Since then, I have worn green to almost every party event,” he said.
For Ahammed, the bond with the Panakkad family goes beyond politics. “The Panakkad family and the IUML have always kept ordinary workers close, without discrimination based on position or wealth. I worked for decades as a cook at MUA UP School in Panakkad, and my family survived on that modest income.
Yet, we were never treated differently,” he said. Ahammed also shares a lesser-known chapter of political history involving senior IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty. When he first contested the Malappuram municipality election in 1980, Ahammed was serving as the Panakkad area committee secretary.
It was he who provided the deposit money required to file the nomination. In a remarkable tradition, Ahammed has continued to offer the deposit for Kunhalikutty’s elections.