CPM recoils from Vijayaraghavan's loose remarks on League, Panakkad

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM is trying to wriggle out of a potentially politically hazardous situation after its outspoken state secretary A Vijayaraghavan's loose remark equating Muslim League with fundamentalist organisations. As the state election is fast approaching and fearing backlash from the Islamic community in the state, the CPM now intends to tone down its attack on the Muslim League for what it calls their attempts to woo apparently fundamentalist forces.

The CPM has observed that the two issues are different and need not be clubbed together. Power Minister M M Mani gave enough indications regarding the CPM stand on the issue after coming out of the state secretariat meeting at the CPM headquarters, AKG Centre, even as he said the criticism against the League would continue.

"The CPM is the real protector of Muslim population. It was CPM people who stood firmly to defend the Muslim brethren during the communal clashes in Thalassery and Marad. The League does not have the total rights over Muslims," Mani said on Tuesday.

Mani also recalled former chief minister EMS Namboodiripad had taken the initiative to form Malappuram district.

"At that time the Congressmen had mocked the CPM accusing the party of creating another Pakistan. During the communal clashes in Thalassery no Muslim League leader went to the affected areas. The Muslims were defended by M V Raghavan and Pinarayi Vijayan (the current chief minister) then," Mani asserted.

He also trashed the Congress election promise that it would stand with devotees over the Sabarimala issue.

Nobody can take a stand on an issue which is pending before the Supreme Court, he said.

Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac, meanwhile, said that Muslim League is part of the mainstream politics.

Referring to Sabarimala, Isaac said: "Hindus who take a secular stand are Kerala's strength. The SDPI and Welfare Party are trying their best to create a wedge between them. The UDF has realised that it can survive in Kerala only through devious strategies and that’s the reason it is raising the Sabarimala issue."

Why scrutinise League's character now: Yechury

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that Muslim League's character is not to be examined during the time of elections. League has been part of the DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu for many decades. In Kerala it is with the Congress-led UDF. It is with different alliances in different states and it acts in a different manner, he noted.

"This is not the time to examine League's character. In Kerala the fight is between the LDF and UDF," Yechury tried to play down the issue.

Balan too the defense

Another Kerala minister, A K Balan, also tried to douse the simmering row over Vijayaraghavan's comments. The latter had ridiculed the recent visit of Congress leaders to the Panakkad house of Muslim League's spiritual and political head Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal.

"There is a move to shatter the image and influence that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has earned among the Muslim community," Balan stated, while also clarifying that the CPM had not criticised the Panakkad family or the Thangals.

"Nobody has come forward to justify the controversial statement of CPM acting secretary A Vijayaraghavan on Panakkad. The party believes that Vijayaraghavan had erred in portraying the Panakkad family and League leadership as fundamentalists," Balan added.

Kanam too snubs Vijayaraghavan

Without supporting Vijayaraghavan's remarks on Muslim League, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said it is up to the LDF leader to decide whether he should make such statements. However, these statements will not affect the LDF, he opined.

"It is not the LDF which is bringing religion into politics. The LDF believes in principles of secularism," Kanam added.

Kanam also commented on the Sabarimala legal imbroglio over women's entry to the temple as the Congress raked up the issue.

"The people will see through the game of those who are trying to rake up Sabarimala issue during elections. The matter is currently pending before the court. It was the UDF which changed the affidavit submitted by the LDF Government. The LDF only went back to its previous stand on the issue," Kana said.

He also reiterated that he would not be contesting the Kerala Assembly Election.

Effect of Vijayaraghavan's comment

The statement likely weakened CPM's objective of anti-League political fight. Its opponents used it as a political weapon and this paved the way for criticism that CPM was trying for communal polarisation in the state.

The party has taken seriously the differences expressed by ally CPI over Vijayaraghavan's statement.

The state committee of CPM which is meeting on Wednesday and Thursday will ask its leaders and workers at all levels to exercise caution and restraint while making statements in public. This is also applicable to the reactions and opinions being aired on social media.

Vijayaraghavan had ridiculed the visit of Congress leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala to Panakkad on December 27. "Today's morning news is about Ramesh Chennithala and Oommen Chandy's visit to Panakkad. The objective of their visit is clear. The UDF and Congress leaders are stitching and expanding alliance with religiously fundamentalist political organisations,” Vijayaraghavan had said raising a furore.

In Kerala's political and public spheres Panakkad town in Malappuram district is synonymous as the seat of power of Congress ally Muslim League.