Ottapalam: A local-level Muslim League politician involved in quarrying here in Kerala's Palakkad district is in a spot after he publicised his predicament after being forced to agree formally to a set of arbitrary terms imposed by the activists of CPM here. Now, his party has sought an explanation from him for dragging the party into his business activities by agreeing to the terms set by its political opponent. Muslim League district general secretary Marakkar Marayamangalam stated this after coming to know about a media report on quarry owner P A Shoukath Ali.
Muslim League will call a disciplinary committee meeting and take a decision as soon as its district president returns from a foreign trip.
Malayala Manorama had reported on Monday that Ali was allegedly made to sign a document promising that he would not contest the polls against CPM. He had also assured that his family members won't contest from ward no. 4 of the Lakkidi-Perur panchayat in Ottapalam. He succumbed to the alleged pressure by CPM's local leaders to carry on with the quarry business.
Ali is one of the three owners of the crusher unit functioning at Lakkidi Thekumcherodu. The deal was allegedly made to avoid obstacles in the functioning of the quarry excavation and crusher unit.
Ali is the former president of the same panchayat and a current member of its ward no 5. He is also the Ottapalam constituency general secretary of the Muslim League and a member of its Palakkad district committee.
"Neither me nor my family members would ever contest against the party from the Thekumcherodu fourth ward," says Ali's affidavit given to the CPM local committee in a Rs 100 stamp paper dated July 26, 2018. Following this, he also had to agree to six other conditions on a white paper. He also had to promise that he would not foster any political ties with the BJP or RSS.
"I was forced to enter into an agreement with the CPM on the demands of its local leaders and to avoid the closure of the quarry that had remained shut for a month last year," Ali clarified after a controversy erupted over the agreement Shoukath, a partner of the quarry, had to sign with the CPM for the smooth running of the quarry.
"There came a point I had to shut down the quarry. Just because I was a political worker, my partners were also suffering losses and I gave in to the demands. I was forced to sign the document," he had told Malayala Manorama.
The quarry was in a crisis after a piece of granite fell on a house nearby, causing damages. Though the house was repaired, the CPM continued its protests against the quarry by collecting signatures of nearby residents against its operation.
Meanwhile, the CPM area secretary S Krishnadas said that the controversy was an attempt to malign the party. It is a move to weaken the politics of the Left, he added.
Ali had reported the pact to expose the high-handedness of CPM activists in the wake of the suicide of builder Sajen Parayil over the alleged harassment by the officials of the Anthoor municipality in Kerala's Kannur district last week.
