CPM leader and Kerala State Culture Minister A K Balan stirred up a controversy, allegedly indented to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims, in the backdrop of the Sabarimala issue on December 6.
In the Assembly, while discussing the Kerala Police Amendment Bill, 2018 and police atrocities in Sabarimala, A K Balan wondered how the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a party of the faithful opposed to idol worship and pantheism, could extend support to ‘idol worshippers’ on the Sabarimala issue.
In the Assembly, while discussing the Kerala Police Amendment Bill, 2018 and police atrocities in Sabarimala, A K Balan wondered how the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a party of the faithful opposed to idol worship and pantheism, could extend support to ‘idol worshippers’ on the Sabarimala issue.
The Opposition created a ruckus in the Assembly over the highly communal remarks of the minister, highlighting it as the “religiously alienating and socially schismatic” observation.
Balan also said that Prophet Muhammad taught the faithful not to be “munafiq”, a group condemned in Quran as hypocrites or fake Muslims (who were inwardly concealing disbelief and actively sought to undermine the Muslim community). He added that the Muslim League, which swears by Islamic faith, should not demean itself in this way.
Extending support to Hindus, the Muslim League has taken against the CPM government’s haste in implementing the Supreme Court verdict since day one. Irked by the growing support base of the Sabarimala movement, the CPM has been trying to divide the society on religious-caste lines.
