The demand for the partition of the Muslim-majority Malappuram district has regained momentum after Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan announced, in his maiden Budget as Finance Minister, that a committee would be constituted to study the division of the district and the formation of additional taluks.
Reacting sharply to the move, VHP Keralam General Secretary Adv. Anil Vilayil said that if the exercise was genuinely intended to promote development, a better demand would be for Central intervention to ensure the region’s overall development through comprehensive developmental and infrastructure projects.
Strengthening his argument, VHP leader Adv. Anil Vilayil stated on June 20 that Central rule is essential for the development of the Malabar region. If the advocates of the partition of Malappuram district want it for development and not because of the increase in population, the best option is Central rule with the capital at Kozhikode or Malappuram. It is for the total development of the region and national security.
Adv. Anil explained the reasons for his argument. Once Central rule is established, the area will receive greater attention from the Centre. It would benefit developmental and infrastructure projects.
The VHP leader said that the Chief Minister had stated, in the maiden Budget he presented in his capacity as the Finance Minister, that a committee would be appointed to study the division of Malappuram district and the formation of some more taluks.
On top of that, several projects have been announced for Malappuram district. One is the feasibility study for the elevated highway from Kohinoor to Karippoor Airport. Another promise is the upgradation of Malappuram Taluk Hospital into a Super Speciality General Hospital. One more promise is the formation of a new district.
Several Islamic outfits have long been demanding the division of Malappuram district. The Indian Union Muslim League, Muslim Youth League, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI – the political arm of the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI)), Sunni Yuvajana Sangham, Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and Kerala Muslim Jamaat are among them.
Apart from these, the Malappuram district leadership of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which met on June 14, endorsed the demand of these Islamic outfits for the division of Malappuram district and the formation of a new district.
In 2023, the Muslim Youth League, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, demanded a separate state comprising the Malabar region, Mahe and parts of Tamil Nadu. The party’s regional leadership argued that the northern Malabar region was neglected in terms of state funding, infrastructure and higher education seats, despite contributing heavily to the state’s revenue. By revenue, they appeared to be referring to remittances from the Middle East.
The broader idea of a separate Muslim-majority province in this region dates back to the pre-Independence era, when leaders of the All India Muslim League proposed the creation of an independent “Mappilastan” in the Malabar region prior to the Partition of Bharat.
In the recent past, there was talk about “Cutting South”, which was allegedly a call for seceding Dakshin Bharat from the rest of Bharat.
Critics argue that since the Partition of Bharat on religious lines, radical Muslim groups in India have consistently sought separate treatment under the guise of minority rights. They contend that these groups pursue their objectives through the template of political Islam and view the Congress party as the best political vehicle to advance their agenda.
According to these critics, while the Congress party seeks Muslim votes to retain political power, radical Muslim groups seek to leverage this political support to advance their religious agenda. They further argue that the ongoing controversy over the partition of Malappuram district and the demand for a separate state follow a familiar template of demographic change and assertions of religious supremacy.
