Hassan Cheruppa
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has set a unique and exemplary example for 180-million strong Indian Muslim minority on how to achieve progress and empowerment through active participation in parliamentary politics, the party’s top leaders have claimed.
Addressing a public reception at Jeddah Sharafiyah’s Impala Garden Restaurant on Tuesday, the leaders said that the party is keen on upholding its secular credentials and maintaining peaceful coexistence within India’s pluralist society.
The leaders who addressed the meeting included Panakkad Sayyid Hyderali Shihab Thangal, president of Muslim League’s Kerala state committee; E.T. Muhammad Basheer, national secretary and member of parliament; P.V. Abdul Wahab, secretary of Kerala state and former member of parliament; A. Younus Kunju, former member of Kerala Legislative Assembly; and T.P. Cheruppa, chief editor of Chandrika daily.
The function was organized by the Jeddah central committee of Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC), an affiliate of IUML in the Gulf.
Inaugurating the meeting, Thangal highlighted the tremendous progress made by the Kerala Muslims, mainly because of IUML’s active involvement in the parliamentary politics.
“Malappuram, one of the few Muslim majority districts of India, has made giant leaps in all walks of life especially in education, thanks to the farsightedness and untiring efforts of his party for uplifting the community,” he said.
Echoing the same view, Basheer said IUML has given a new direction to India’s minority politics.
“IUML has set an ideal model on how a backward community can progress through taking advantage of parliamentary politics without sacrificing its secular credentials. The party has always been in the forefront of the struggle to secure justice for those who have been deprived of justice,” he said while cautioning the community members against those forces who are desperately attempting to have a reversal of the progress made by Indian Muslims.
Referring to the educational progress achieved by Keralites, Basheer, who served as minister of education two times, said that IUML, which held the portfolio of education in the state’s cabinet several times, is instrumental in spearheading an educational revolution in the state.
“We were able to establish 22 colleges and grant sanction to 274 courses of study within two years after the Oommen Chandy government, in which IUML nominee is the minister of education, came to power. For the first time in 30 years, the incumbent government gave approval for eight medical colleges,” he said.
Basheer also noted that IUML has initiated a big task of redefining politics by concentrating more on humanitarian and environmental activities. He lauded the humanitarian initiatives launched by KMCC.
He announced plans to implement a housing project for the riot victims of Muzaffarnagar in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. “We will start the procedures for land registration and construction of houses free of cost immediately after the ongoing general elections. The humanitarian work will be carried out as part of IUML’s Baithul Rahma housing scheme,” he said. Palayat Ahmed presided over the function. Abubacker Arimbra welcomed the gathering and Majeed Pukayoor proposed the vote of thanks. Ashraf Vengatt, P.T. Muhammad, P.M.A Jaleel and Nisam Mambad also spoke.
