Islamic City or Smart City?

Only students from the Muslim community were specially invited and felicitated at the inauguration of Smart City Pavillion. This has now raked up a high standing controversy.

Following the inaugural speech made by Minister PK Kunjalikutty, the Chief Executive Officer of Team Com, Abdullah Laitf Al Mullah began his speech. In what appeared to be a pre-planned drama, 4 children: Subaid Ibrahim, Abi Nissar, Muhammed Aslam, Akbar Ali came to the stage. Sporting the Islamic cap, the children were warmly welcomed by Al Mullah. Raising their hands, he declared publically that these children will be the beneficiaries of Smart City.

The act of Al Mullah stunned many who were present at the venue, including Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy. And in a span of a few minutes, probably sensing the controversy that might snow ball, the CEO had to offer his version of explanations. Everyone at the state ministerial level seemed to be clueless about the happening. However, it was revealed that a certain businessman was the main designer of the strange happening. Things unfolded soon. The plan was to make the Smart City authorities adopt these children. That was the sole reason for selecting 4 children, exclusively from the Muslim community.

Kerala’s Chief Minister of Kerala seemed to be in a hurry to leave the scenario, which he did cleverly too. When asked by journalists about why something like this took place in an event which has the involvement of the state government as well, all that Oommen Chandy could do was mumble an evasive reply and scuttle away in haste. “Students are always the crucial factors who decide the extent of development and the incident shows how local people are an inseparable part of the project,” the Chief Minister’s statements somehow seemed to be incoherent.

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