Thangal family doesn’t require CM’s validation: Chennithala

The Congress leader says the people of Kerala are well aware that Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal is an upholder of secular credentials

The secular credentials of the Panakkad Thangal family does not need any validation from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, senior Congress leader and member of the Congress Working Committee Ramesh Chennithala has said.

When the Babri Masjid was demolished and riots broke out all across India, Kerala remained calm only because of the Panakkad family’s intervention and the stance adopted by the Indian Union Muslim League. Therefore, Mr. Vijayan should not think that he can dish out lessons on secularism to a member of the Panakkad family. The people of Kerala are well aware that Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal is someone who upholds the secular credentials of the Panakkad family as well as that of the Muslim League, Mr. Chennithala said.

He said that Mr. Vijayan’s annoyance had a lot to do with the warm welcome accorded by the Panakkad family to Sandeep Varier, who had quit the Sangh Parivar camp to join the secular front led by the Congress, even though the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]had gone all out to roll out the red carpet for Mr. Varier.

The Panakkad family has the tradition of welcoming with open arms all those who embrace secularism. Mr. Vijayan, on the other hand, has been known to blow hot and cold with Jamat-e-Islami, with which he has been forging secret alliances whenever it suited him politically.

In a scathing attack, Mr. Chennithala said CPI(M) has followed the tradition of forging alliances with organisations that create religious polarisation in Kerala, ever since Mr. Vijayan became the CPI(M) secretary.

This has reached a stage wherein the CPI(M) played a key role in the BJP win in the Lok Sabha election in Thrissur. In the Palakkad Assembly byelection too, the CPI(M) has adopted a stance which is helpful to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. Chennithala alleged.

It is sad that the CPI(M) has corrupted itself to a level that it thrives on dividing Kerala on religious lines, he stated.

Published - November 18, 2024 08:17 pm IST