Mujahid-BJP bonhomie causes tremors in Kerala

A Muslim group’s decision to cosy up to the Sangh Parivar has triggered political tremors in Kerala. Eyebrows were raised when two prominent BJP leaders were invited to 10th state conference of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) in Kozhikode last week.

The KNM, which adheres to Salafist principles of Islam and is regarded as reformist, is believed to be the third biggest Muslim socio-cultural organisation in Kerala after the two factions of the Sunnis.

The end of the state conference of KNM, conducted once every five years, has sparked a debate over the outfit’s relationship with the Sangh Parivar.

Point of contention 

The invitation extended to BJP leaders — Union Minister V Muraleedharan and Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai — was a point of contention.

Binoy Viswam of the CPI and John Brittas of the CPI(M) raised concern over this in their speeches. Brittas posed the question: “Although you have accommodated the RSS, do you believe they will do the same for you?” The remark resonated across the media in the days that followed.

Congress, IUML defend KNM

Congress and IUML leaders who attended the conference defended the KNM leadership because of the Left onslaught.

Even before the conference, the KNM leadership was in the spotlight when its Secretary, A I Abdul Majeed Swalahi, took part in a talk show on Janam TV, a Malayalam channel run by the Sangh Parivar.

“This was not the first time BJP leaders were invited by us or other Muslim organisations. We had invited representatives of all parties to the conference. It is our prerogative to decide who to invite,” Swalahi told The Federal.

According to its leaders, the KNM believes in dialogue with everyone, including the Sangh Parivar. KNM Vice President and Islamic scholar Hussain Madavoor made it clear that there was nothing wrong in talking to the RSS.

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“I think it’s possible to have conversations with RSS. SY Qureshi and other well-known Muslims recently spoke with RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat. The BJP and RSS too have taken initiative to hold talks with Muslim leaders in north India,” says Madavoor.

BJP treads cautiously 

The BJP is treading very carefully; it is far from committing to any political strategy to woo the Muslim voters of Kerala.

“The BJP wants to develop relationships of cooperation with every organisation including KNM. This should not be interpreted as a political action but rather as an effort to foster trust within the society. The Sangh Parivar organisations and the party have been travelling down this path for quite some time and will continue to do so,” BJP state spokesman Sandeep Vachaspati told The Federal.

He added that the Left parties were the most worried about the Muslim community choosing to build bridges with the BJP. “It is necessary to work together to resolve any misunderstandings. It won’t be long when Muslims finally embrace the BJP’s vision of soulful secularism,” he added.

KNM’s political naïveté?

Although the KNM leaders disapprove the RSS ideology, they are careful in articulating their views.

“We do not approve of their ideology at all. But we have the same reservations towards Islamic extremist organisations as well,” said Majeed Swalahi. “A society won’t benefit from cultivating a climate of distrust.

“In this country, communalism flourishes in the guise of religious beliefs. It is our obligation as Muslims to first call out this tendency within our own community. All other religions should do so with their respective communities. I do not think India is going to be a Hindu Rashtra or Islamic country even if somebody does it on paper,” Swalahi said.

Why court BJP?

According to Mujeeb Rahman Kinaloor, a former editor of Shabab, the group’s magazine, “there is nothing new in the stance of KNM towards the BJP. “When the BJP is in power, it is difficult for a Muslim organisation to carry out its operations,” he said.

According to Kinaloor, who has severed all ties with the group for some time, the government’s approval is needed to manage funds, including foreign contributions, or to host sizable conferences.

Rahman says the KNM leaders may be politically naïve but it can’t be said that they are in cahoots with the BJP or RSS. He says the sudden bonhomie should be viewed as an attempt by a group that had hosted Salafi preachers like Zakir Naik and MM Akbar to prove their credentials as “good secular” Muslims.

Muslims in Kerala

The KNM’s softened stance towards the BJP has not gone down well with most other Muslim organisations.

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Mujahid activists in Kerala, barring a minuscule minority favouring the Left, are traditional supporters of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Congress. The KNM was an offshoot of the Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangam, the first Muslim organisation in the state which was born in 1924.

The reformist activities among Malayali Muslims, led by scholars of the likes of Sheikh Hamadani Thangal, K.M. Moulavi, Vakkom Moulavi, E. Moidu Moulavi and Ummar Moulavi, led to its formation.

The Congress-led UDF appears to be a little miffed that the Left leaders stole the show at the KNM conference, which turned into a political debate, with the latter’s relationship with the Sangh Parivar becoming the main talking point.