The Kerala unit chief of the state-based Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a Congress ally, has landed in controversy over his statement that the recently inaugurated Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and the proposed mosque in the city, ‘would strengthen secularism in the country.’
Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal made the remark on January 24, two days after the temple event; the video of the speech, however, went viral on Sunday.
“The temple which is worshipped and revered by the majority of the people in the country and is now a reality. We cannot go back from that. There is no need for us to protest against it. The temple came up based on a court order and the Babri Masjid is about to be constructed. These two are now part of India. The Ram temple and the proposed Babri Masjid are the two best examples that strengthen the secularism of our country,” he was seen saying in the video.
The IUML leader’s ‘court order’ mention was a reference to the Supreme Court’s November 2019 verdict that paved the way for the construction of the temple, even as the apex court ruled that an alternative site must be allotted for the mosque in the Uttar Pradesh temple town.
“We know that the Babri Mosque was destroyed by the karsevaks, but Indian Muslims dealt with it in a mature manner,” he further said.
Reacting to the statement, NK Abdul Azeez, a senior member of the Indian National League (INL), a coalition partner of Kerala’s CPI(M) led-LDF (Left Democratic Front) government, said that ordinary IUML workers ‘will not accept’ Thangal’s position.
Veteran IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty and VD Satheesan, the Leader of Opposition who is from the Congress, on the other hand, both said that the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trying to ‘politicise’ the Ayodhya issue and Thangal was only warning people not to fall into that ‘trap.’
Leaders of opposition parties had skipped the temple opening, accusing the BJP of ‘hijacking’ the event, and inaugurating a temple that was yet to be fully constructed, saying this was done so that the ruling party could take ‘advantage’ in the upcoming Lok Sobha polls, due in April-May.
IUML is a member of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the southern state.
(With PTI inputs)