League, NDF birds of same feather: BJP

The Kerala BJP on Sunday stated that the Indian Union Muslim League, second largest constituent of the Congress-led Opposition UDF, and Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (yesteryears’ NDF) were working towards the same goal of establishing an Islamic state. However, the party said Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan was not sincere in his statement that the Popular Front was aiming to make Kerala a Muslim-majority state in 20 years.

State BJP president V Muraleedharan said in Kozhikode that the objective of the Muslim League was to establish a religious state gradually. “The only difference between the Popular Front and the Muslim League is that while the former is working towards that goal publicly the latter is doing it indirectly,” he said.

“What differences the present-day Muslim League has brought to the constitution and programmes of the Indian Union Muslim League of Muhammadali Jinnah?” Muraleedharan asked. “Nothing. They are still the same,” he said. “They are repeating a phrase called Sangh Pariwar terrorism again and again. On what basis are they doing this?” he asked.

The BJP leader said that (late) League leader Ibrahim Suleiman Sait had complained during a visit to Pakistan that the Hindus in India were insecure. “But the Muslim League had not taken any action against Sait. That proves their attitude. They are now trying to convince the people that they are a secular party in the peculiar circumstance prevailing in the State,” Muraleedharan said.

Murlaeedharan said that the statement of Achuthanandan against the Popular Front lacked sincerity. The CPI(M) and Achuthanandan were now pretending to be opposing the Islamists just because majority of extremist elements were aligning with the Congress-led UDF, he pointed out. Achuthanandan and his party were still soft towards Abdul Nasser Madani and his PDP, he said.

“Mere statements will make no difference. If Achuthanandan is serious about what he said on the extremists, it should be seen in practice,” he said. Achuthanandan should first sack Kodiyeri Balakrishnan as Home Minister for his contributions towards the growth of Islamic terrorism in Kerala, Muraleedharan said.

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