Intro : BJP Kerala state president V Muraleedharan stated that when one lives in this country, one is bound to obey the ruling of the highest seat of jurisprudence in the country. If not, it is against the spirit of our Constitution. It is a challenge against the national integration.
It looks like Kerala once again falls into the ravine of fanaticism when the question of culture and jurisprudence arises. It was blatant last week when the MBBS entrance examinations took place and when Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders found at loggerheads with respect to lighting the traditional lamp. When a nun (Sr. Seba) refused to remove the headgear in an examination centre in Thiruvananthapuram before entering the exam hall in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling, pseudo secularists came out with the usual rhetoric of ‘Hindu Fascism of Modi Government’. The nun left sans entering the hall. Pradesh Congress President VM Sudheeran said, it was unfortunate that nun could not take the examinations because head gear represents faith and its observance. His party colleague MA Shanavas, MP is getting ready to raise the issue in Lok Sabha.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy reacted cautiously. He would react after looking into the matter thoroughly. CPM keeps mum, again the diplomatic precaution! Cardinal Baselios Cleemmis Catholica Bava, Major Arch Bishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, opines that the matter should be taken over by the people. The Church’s spokesman Fr. Paul Thelakkat denounced the denial of the nun’s right to take the examination. BJP state president V Muraleedharan told that ‘When one lives in this country, one is bound to obey the ruling of the highest seat of jurisprudence in the country. If not, it is against the spirit of our Constitution’.
Another glaring instance of communalist practice is the controversy surrounding the lighting of the traditional lamp to mark the auspicious beginning of programmes. The controversy was launched by ET Mohammed Basheer (MP) through his Face Book pasting (despite the party instruction to put an end to public statements regarding this issue). He maintained that not only education minister Abdu Rabb, but he himself also does not light the traditional lamp.
Recently Abdu Rabb was publicly scolded by Malayalam matinee idol Mammootty, a practicing Muslim, when the former refused to light the lamp to mark a public function. Observers believe that ET’s FB posting has something to do with the IUML senior leader KNA Kader’s bold step of lighting the lamp in a public function and his subsequent justification of that action. Young leaders KM Shaji MLA and minister Dr KM Muneer had come out in favour of lighting the traditional lamp. Muneer added that IUML committee has not taken any decision in this matter hence party workers can move according to their personal choice.
But, it is obvious that ET enjoys the support of senior leader and minister PK Kunjalikkutty and their spiritual leader Panakkad Thangal. Therefore, no one expects any consistency in the stands of Shaji, Muneer and Kader. Because, Congress, the major partner in the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), is always ready to support IUML’s communal agenda and CPM and party-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) always pamper the minority communalism.
—T Satisan, Kerala (August 9, 2015 Page 34)
