KOZHIKODE: Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, the Kerala chief of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), has stirred a row by describing the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the proposed mosque in lieu of the Babri Masjid as “examples of India’s secularism that must be imbibed”.
Indian National League (INL) has decried Thangal’s words as “welcoming Sangh Parivar’s agenda”. INL is part of Kerala’s governing Left coalition LDF and IUML of opposition Congress-led UDF.
Thangal’s remarks came at a party programme in Malappuram on Jan 24 but the video of that event surfaced in the past two days, drawing strong reactions.
Thangal had said that the temple for Lord Ram is a reality and one cannot go back on that. “It is the need of the community that accounts for the majority of people in India. There is no need for us to protest. Ram Temple, which came into being following the (Supreme) court verdict and Babri Masjid (proposed mosque), which is going to be built as per the court order, are part of India,” Thangal said.
It is true that ‘kar sevaks’ demolished Babri Masjid and the community protested against it then while Muslims, especially in Kerala, faced the situation with tolerance. Thangal added that Kerala’s “sensitive and active Muslim community was able to set a model for the country”.
INL denounced the remarks and asked IUML to clarify whether it stood with the interests of RSS or Muslims. “Secular parties and a majority of the people had opposed the demolition of Babri Masjid and are still opposing it. How can IUML, which claims to protect the rights of the minority Muslim community, take such a stand,” INL state secretariat member NK Abdul Azeez asked.
Azeez argued that spiritual Hinduism is different from political Hindutva of RSS. “It means Gandhi’s Ram Rajya is different from the Ram Rajya of RSS. So why should one try to fool cadres,” Azeez asked.
Indian National League (INL) has decried Thangal’s words as “welcoming Sangh Parivar’s agenda”. INL is part of Kerala’s governing Left coalition LDF and IUML of opposition Congress-led UDF.
Thangal’s remarks came at a party programme in Malappuram on Jan 24 but the video of that event surfaced in the past two days, drawing strong reactions.
Thangal had said that the temple for Lord Ram is a reality and one cannot go back on that. “It is the need of the community that accounts for the majority of people in India. There is no need for us to protest. Ram Temple, which came into being following the (Supreme) court verdict and Babri Masjid (proposed mosque), which is going to be built as per the court order, are part of India,” Thangal said.
It is true that ‘kar sevaks’ demolished Babri Masjid and the community protested against it then while Muslims, especially in Kerala, faced the situation with tolerance. Thangal added that Kerala’s “sensitive and active Muslim community was able to set a model for the country”.
INL denounced the remarks and asked IUML to clarify whether it stood with the interests of RSS or Muslims. “Secular parties and a majority of the people had opposed the demolition of Babri Masjid and are still opposing it. How can IUML, which claims to protect the rights of the minority Muslim community, take such a stand,” INL state secretariat member NK Abdul Azeez asked.
Azeez argued that spiritual Hinduism is different from political Hindutva of RSS. “It means Gandhi’s Ram Rajya is different from the Ram Rajya of RSS. So why should one try to fool cadres,” Azeez asked.