A political slugfest erupted after images of Hamas leaders were prominently displayed at a procession of a local festival in Palakkad district, Kerala. Images of Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, both leaders of the terrorist group Hamas were seen on banners with the title, ‘Tharavadis, Thekkebhagam’ which means Ancestrals Southside.
Sympathising with terrorists and their organisation is not a new phenomenon in Kerala. There have been several instances in the past when a section has praised the likes of Osama Bin Laden and Ajmal Kasab in public.
The pro-Palestine issue in Kerala is nothing new. In 2024, the annual youth festival of the Kerala University Intifada created a major controversy as the word was associated with the Palestine-Israel conflict and its usage by Hamas. Later on the Vice-Chancellor of the University Mohanan Kunnummal instructed that the term be removed from all promotional material for the festival.
Terrorists glorified on the streets of Kerala. As per local media reports, during a recent Uroos procession at a local mosque in Thrithala, the mosque authorities displayed posters of Hamas Islamist terrorists Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Hassan Nasrallah. Why no action yet? pic.twitter.com/nfgPIkpu2M
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 17, 2025
In October 2023, the former head of Hamas, Khaled Mashal addressed a rally in Malappuram which was organised by the Solidarity Youth Movement, which is the students’ wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami. The organisation had launched a campaign called ‘Uproot Hindutva and Apartheid Zionism.
The Osama fixation
When Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by the US forces, it was obviously a cause for joy as the world’s most dreaded terrorist had been killed. However in Kerala, the police anticipated a law and order problem.
Laden was killed in May 2012, following which security was tightened in Kerala. The police had anticipated a backlash from some outfits as a result of which security was heightened. The police said that known extremist outfits in Kerala like the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) are reflections of international terrorist organisations and their actions.
In May 2019, a final year B-Com students from Mundakal in Kollam district in Kerala was found with a Osama Bin Laden sticker on his car. Muhammad Hameed a student of the MSN College in Chavara was identified as the owner of the car which bore a West Bengal registration number.
Following the death of Osama Bin Laden, another incident was reported in which posters of the terrorist were put up. The posters had slogans sympathetic to Laden and those who had put it up were mourning his death.
Prayers for Kasab
Ajmal Kasab was part of a ten member team of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba which wrecked havoc in Mumbai. The Mumbai 26/11 attack in 2008 claimed the lives of 166 innocent people. It is without a doubt one of the most horrifying attacks on Indian soil.
Kasab was the only one caught alive and thanks to this the Pakistan link could be easily established. Following his trial, he was sentenced to death. The death sentence was confirmed by the Bombay High Court. An appeal in the Supreme Court and a subsequent pardon before the President of India were rejected. Kasab was finally hanged to death at the Yeravada jail in Pune.
While it should have been a day for celebration, an official at a Mosque in Kerala decided to pray for Kasab’s soul. The managing committee of a Jamaat Mosque initiated disciplinary action aginsaat its khatib (preacher leading Friday prayers) for praying for the salvation of the soul of Ajmal Kasab.
Khatib Abdul Rauf included the name of Kasab along with several other persons who had died. The incident sent out shock waves and the Khatib resigned before he could be given the boot.
Using the children
In 2022, the police raised a case in Kerala after a Muslim boy was seen chanting hate slogans during a political rally. The incident took place in May 2022 during a march by the Popular Front of India (PFI). At that time the PFI had not been banned as yet. The ban came into force in September 2022.
A video which was in circulation following the rally showed a boy sitting on the shoulder of a person. He was heard saying Sanghis should learn to live properly or they will have to get ready for their final rites. The boy was also heard chanting slogans against Christians.
Wahhabism at play
All the above mentioned incidents clearly suggest that this sickening mindset among many in Kerala is a result of the deep influx of the Wahhabi culture in the state.
The Wahhabi centres had been set up several years back by Saudi Arabia as they felt that the Shias in India are a threat to the Sunni community. Once the centres were set up scores of Wahhabi preachers were sent to India. Between 2011 and 2013, at least 25,000 Wahhabi preachers had visited the country and their primary focus was on Kerala. They even brought in Rs 1,700 crore with them in several instalments.
Kerala was the easiest target since a large population from this state go to Saudi in search of employment. Many in Kerala welcomed with open arms the Wahhabi style of preaching as a result of which the Wahhabis took control of 75 Mosques in the state with much ease.
Further the money was also pumped in to build new Mosques in Kerala which resembled those in Saudi. Further the Wahhabis planned on setting up Universities which preach their brand of Islam. Around Rs 800 crore had been earmarked for this.
Wahhabism also found a great deal of success in Kerala as the PFI was extremely strong. It recruited youth in large numbers and urged them to follow this rabid style of Islam.
While the Muslim youth were brainwashed with this ideology they were also instructed to adopt to violent ways. This led to the glorification of terrorists. What is worse is that the administration was so meek and weak that these element glorified terrorists in the open. This then led to attacks on Hindus in the state.
Abhinav Pandya, a Cornell University graduate in public affairs who runs the Usanas told Organiser that the spread of Wahhabism was so wide that it changed many. It had a great deal of success and the Persian Khuda Hafiz and Ramazan gave way to the Arabic Allah Hafiz and Ramadan.
Also aiding these elements were scores of NGOs. One of the most known NGO that backed extremism in Kerala was the Peace Foundation that is run by Zakir Naik. He indulged in radicalisation and forced conversions to Islam.
Hence if one takes into account all these factors, it hardly comes as a surprise when the leaders of Hamas, a Osama Bin Laden or an Ajmal Kasab are glorified in Kerala.
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