Kerala polls: CPM running a ‘communal’ campaign in Perambra: UDF

Kozhikode: A controversy erupted in Perambra on Wednesday after LDF allegedly made a vehicle announcement during its election campaigning and UDF alleged that CPM is running a communal campaign against its candidate Fathima Thahiliya.

The row centres on an announcement from an LDF campaign vehicle claiming that IUML is conducting a covert campaign to win votes for Thahiliya with the slogan ‘Our votes for Kauminte Kutti' (Kaum in Arabic means persons belonging to Islam).

The issue came to light after a video of the announcement, recorded by Avala native Salil at Madathil Mukku, went viral on social media. UDF election committee chairman K Balanarayanan filed a complaint with the state election commission and KSU general secretary Arjun Kattayattu lodged a complaint with the DGP.

The announcement in the video says: IUML is conducting a covert campaign seeking votes for a child of its community. They are calling for religious consolidation. This is IUML resorting to a communal polarization strategy in Perambra. People with a sense of equality must defeat IUML's religious polarization. To show that Perambra stands for humanity, cast your votes for the Left.

IUML leaders refuted the campaign, saying LDF was openly invoking communal narratives to get votes. CPM area secretary M Kunhammed said the viral video has no connection with LDF and that nobody made such an announcement from the party's vehicle.

Earlier, Perambra had witnessed a row during previous LS polls when the ‘kafir screenshot' campaign against UDF candidate Shafi Parambil surfaced. The screenshot was later found to be fabricated and first posted in CPM-linked social media groups. Police investigations are still continuing in that case.LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan is the CPM candidate.

"LDF has gone to the extent of making a communal campaign by referring to UDF's candidate as a Muslim girl," Balanarayanan said.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said CPM's alleged communal campaign insults secular Kerala. "Fearing defeat, CPM resorted to a campaign that would put even extremist communal organizations to shame," he said.