Khaled Mashal, former chief of Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist outfit, became the legitimate head of Hamas in 2004. He led Hamas to win a majority of seats in the Palestinian legislative election held in 2006.
Solidarity had organised the programme in Malappuram in support of Hamas terrorists. It was named Youth Defence Rally against “Zionist and Hindutwa Racism”. Hamas leader’s participation in the programme is a serious issue since Bharat has taken a clear stand with respect to Hamas-Israel conflict. The country has asserted in unequivocal terms that the attack on Israel was really a terrorist one. Moreover, the organisers have dragged Hindutwa into the issue unnecessarily.
There are reports that Mashal’s speech was to incite Muslims against Jews and Hindus. He asked the gathering to extend support to Hamas. A shocking report suggests that the slogan “Uproot Bulldozer Hindutwa and Judaism” was raised in the meeting.
BJP State President K Surendran came down heavily on the organisers of the programme in view of the virtual address by Khaled. He asked the State Police Chief to take stringent action against the Khaled’s participation. Surendran ‘X’ed that Hamas leader Khaled Mashal’s virtual address at the Solidarity programme in Malappuram is alarming. He asked where (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan’s police is. Under the camouflage of ‘Save Palestine’, they are glorifying Hamas, a terrorist organisation and its leaders as ‘warriors’. This is unacceptable. Surendran added: “Things have come to this point now in our secular Kerala. Hamas terrorist leaders are themselves participating in the events. It is virtual because he would not get a visa. The organisers’ intention is clear”.
Earlier, K Surendran criticised Shashi Tharoor, MP (LS) and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, in the wake of his participation as the chief guest in the pro-Hamas rally, organised by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second largest constituent in the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), in Kozhikode. Thousands of IUML workers had participated in the protest march prior to the public meeting. Surendran expressed his concern as the Hamas-Israel conflict is being used as a tool for engineering communal polarisation in the state. He continued that being a former UN diplomat, Tharoor’s participation in such a programme is against the country’s declared stand in the Hamas-Israel issue.
Interestingly, the BJP is the only party that has come out against the Solidarity programme and Khaled Mashel’s presence in it. Both ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition UDF keep meaningful silence. Because, they bank on ‘vote bank politics’. Both Fronts believe that anti-Hamas means anti-Muslim hence ‘no vote bank’. That is why Congress leaders have expressed their displeasure in Shashi Tharoor’s anti-Hamas speech in the IUML’s anti-Hamas programme as the chief guest. Again, that is why CPM state secretary MV Govindan supports Tharoor when the latter goes back on his word that Hamas attack was a terrorist one. Tharoor described the Hamas attack as terrorist attack when he addressed the IUML rally in Kozhikode. But, when he faced criticism from both UDF and LDF, he diluted his earlier stand, thanks again to vote bank syndrome.
