Jawahar Lal Nehru dismissed the Kerala Muslim League as a dead horse, but for the past four decades Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and now Sonia have been falling at Muslim League'sfeet to garner the 22 per cent Muslim votes. The Congress-Muslim League tie-up which started in 1970 even led to the handing-over of Kerala'schief ministership to League'sC.H. Mohammed Koya. Although the Muslim League tried to move over to the CPM-led LDF in 1992, citing Congress'sfailure in protecting ?Babri Mosque?, it had to return meekly to Congress-led UDF, as EMS-led CPM refused to entertain it, for fear of losing Hindu votes.
Aryadan Mohammed, a Congress MLA from Nilambur in Malappuram district, has since 1970 (when the Congress-IUML pact started) been opposing its alliance with the Muslim League. His stand is that the Congress should not ally with a communal party like Muslim League. Despite Muslim League'sefforts to defeat him by cross-voting, Aryadan has been continuously winning, to its and CPM'sire.
In October 2006 when Kerala-based Al-Badr terrorist Mohammed Fahd was arrested in Bangalore, Aryadan Mohammed hit out at the Muslim League saying it was not sincere in efforts to curb extremism, especially in Malappuram. Aryadan said the CPM came into power after working hand in glove with jehadis, whereas Muslim League is not opposing groups like NDF, SIMI, PDP and Jamaat-e-Islami for fear of losing base. He said their concept of Hukumat-Ilahi (Islamic rule) is dangerous. He went further and stated that the Muslim League supremo Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal, who is masquerading as a spiritual leader, is a fraud.
At that time the Congress and the League leaders intervened and played down the issue.
Meanwhile in the redrafting and delimitation of Assembly constituencies, four seats got added to the Muslim-majority Malappuram district. The Congress unit in Malappuram, which like Aryadan Mohammed, has been opposing Congress tie-up with Muslim League and its hegemony, wants a bigger role in the district. They feel that the Muslim League is irretrievably weakened and the Congress by throwing out the League can perform very well in the district, by getting votes from all sections. Moreover the CPM'stie-up with jehadis can be exposed, as also its move to pamper extremists by promising to implement Sachar Committee report.
Addressing a Congress meeting Aryadan Mohammed said, it should take the lead in Malappuram as the League whould face a serious setback it as it is not a dominant force. Aryadan Shoukath, his son and president of the Nilambur Panchayat, went a step further and, questioned the so-called ?miracle curing power? of Muslim League supremo Thangal. He called upon the CPM regime, which has declared a war against fake god men, to act upon Thangal and his multi-crore assets.
This was too much for the Muslim League. The outfit belittled and its supremo humiliated! Congress offices in Nadapuram, Vanimal, Chekyad, Mambad, Pookiparamba, Randamthani, Tirur, Edavannapara and Chemmad were torched by irate Muslim mobs. Congress goons set fire to Muslim League office in Kutiyadi. In several places clashes erupted between Congress and Muslim League workers.
Although talks between Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, Oomen Chandy and Leaguers Kunhalikutty, Mohammed Basheer etc took place, the clashes showed no signs of relenting.
The League asked Aryadan Mohammed, who won on its support, to resign. Aryadan shot back saying, he will resign if Muslim League MLAs who won with Congress support, resign. Meanwhile Muslim League withdrew support from Aryadan Shoukath in Nilambur Panchayat.
Finally Sonia Gandhi intervened to protect the 40-year-old alliance with Muslim League, started by mother-in-law! She warned against breaking of the alliance and called for ironing of ties, i.e. falling at Thangal'sfeet. The job was handed over to her new confidant, Union Minister Vayalar Ravi. He convinced Thangal that the Congress will play second fiddle to Muslim League in Kerala and that Aryadan and his son will be acted upon.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee headed by Ramesh Chennithala, Oomen Chandy etc. reprimanded Aryadan Mohammed and a ?show-cause? notice was issued to Aryadan Shoukath for belittling Muslim League and questioning its supremo'shealing powers.
The Congress by begging at Muslim League'sfeet has lost a one-time golden opportunity to throw away the crutches of Muslim fanaticism and stand on its own legs in Malappuram, thereby weakening the Hindu minority and nationalist Muslims in that district. In due course, the entire Muslim population may get jehadised and Kerala may become another Kashmir. A Kerala where Hindus will be thrown out to the streets.
Bharateeya Vichar Kendram Director Shri P. Parameswaran has described Aryadan Mohammed as a ?Modern-day Maulana Azad?. Here it is noteworthy that the Congress yielded to the Muslim League pressure tactics by not allowing Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad to participate in the Congress- British-Muslim League talks, prior to Partition. Maulana Azad would not have allowed Partition of Bharat, dashing the President, Prime Minister hopes of Jinnah and Nehru.? Similarly, Sonia Gandhi is sacrificing Aryadan Mohammed, a true nationalist, to please Thangal and Muslim League.?
Anyway, Thangal'shealing powers are not going to relieve Sonia of her disease of continuing saga of electoral defeats, which will culminate in rout of Congress in 2009 polls.
