CPM statement ignites a row

KOZHIKODE: The

CPM's statement

against the people who are protesting against the

laying of pipelines

for the

Gas Authority of India Limited

(GAIL) in some parts of

north Kerala

has landed the party in a controversy.

District secretariat of the party issued a statement lashing out at the 'Muslim extremists who possess the primitive mentality of the seventh century' for instigating the people against the project.

Violence had erupted in Mukkam area in the district after protestors blocked the entry of GAIL authorities who came to lay the pipes. Police had lathicharged and burst tear gas shells to disperse the mob who inturn pelted stones at the police.

In the statement, CPM alleged that extremists outfits such as the Popular Front of India (PFI), Welfare Party of India and the Solidarity Youth Movement are exhorting the people to violence in the name of agitation against the project.

The statement alleged that Congress and the IUML are supporting the extremists who have the 'primitive mentality of the seventh century'.

CPM district committee member K T Kunhikannan told TOI that the party wanted to expose and isolate the extremists who are behind the violent agitation. "The statement is not against the Muslim community as a whole. But we want to expose the forces who wanted to turn the clock back. They certainly have the mentality of primitives of seventh century," he said.

The CPM leader said the Muslim extremists are using religious symbols to whip up passion. "They deliberately organised Namaz publicly at the site of the agitation to give a religious colour to the protest, " he said.

Kunhikannan said the there are mega gas projects in the Gulf countries which practice Islam. " But here some extremists are misusing religion to oppose the gas project," he said.

Welfare Party state president Hameed Vaniyambalam said that the statement has exposed the soft Hindutva line of the CPM. "Of late the party is using the tools prepared in the Sangh Parivar institutions. The party is trying to find a temporary solution by pointing fingers at the so-called extremists. But it will be harmful to the CPM in the long run," he said

Social Democratic Party of India

state president Abdul Majeed Faizy said the statement from the CPM has an obvious communal colour. "There was an agitation led by BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan against airport project at Aranmula and Christian churches lead a protest against liquor policy of the government. But the CPM doesn't see a communal angle in these agitations," he said.

Faizy said that the seventh century is the period when Prophet Muhammad was engaged in propagation. "Branding it as primitive is an insult to the entire Muslim community," he said.