Discontentment brewing in IUML

By R. Madhavan Nair

KOZHIKODE, JULY 3. Discontent is once again raising its head in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) over the leadership's reluctance to make use of its enhanced political clout to safeguard the interests of party supporters in the troubled Nadapuram.

The IUML youth leaders have been particularly sore at what is being perceived as the insensitivity of the top leadership to the post-riot situation in Nadapuram. At a recent meeting of the district unit of the Muslim Youth League(MYL), protests were at a high pitch. And there was a strong demand to adopt a resolution condemning the senior leader, Mr. P.K.K. Bava.

There was also pressure to convey the protest directly to the State working committee when it was holding a meeting recently in Kozhikode.

These plans were, however, shelved. Instead, it was decided to send a delegation to the State leadership to convey in strong terms the MYL's strong sense of resentment on the Nadapuram issue. The protests are led by party men from Vadakara taluk where Nadapuram is situated.

The MYL activists believe that senior partymen in Nadapuram are afraid that their chances of winning plum offices would be jeopardised if they speak up on matters that may not be liked by the State leadership. Many of them have secret ambitions of getting plum posts in Government committees and other agencies.

Hence the youth leaders have taken upon themselves the onus of raising their grievances on the Nadapuram issue in party fora. A MYL leader pointed out that despite the change of power after the Assembly polls, party supporters had not made any gains in Nadapuram. No changes have been made in the police set-up at Nadapuram police station even though the League supporters had condemned it as blatantly pro-LDF and anti-IUML during the riots which occurred under the LDF rule. No police official has been transferred from the Nadapuram station.

Even though police presence in Nadapuram had been increased after the elections, the IUML supporters continue to be the target of police action. Much to the chagrin of the local League leaders, CPI(M) supporters believed to be behind the incident of arson at Valayam and Theruvamparabu are still at large.

Senior party leaders have not bothered to visit Nadapuram. No League Minister had visited the region after the UDF Government assumed power.

A party worker said, ``Mr. Shihab Thangal, IUML State president, and Mr. E. Ahmed, MP and all-India general secretary, visited Kadalundi after the train accident. Why have they not bothered to visit Nadapuram where hundreds of party supporters are living in fear?

Party supporters were promised that once the UDF was returned to power, there would be strong action "within 48 hours" to bring to book all Marxists who were behind the violence and rioting in Nadapuram.

The dissatisfaction among League supporters in Nadapuram has been so strong that there has been reports of some partymen planning to join the Congress. Even after repeated peace meetings, normal life has not returned to normal in Nadapuram.

The schools have not re-opened. A majority of families which had fled Nadapuram following the outbreak of violence have not yet returned to their homes. The houses that have been torched have not been rebuilt.

Of late, the IUML leadership has been receptive to complaints regarding organisational matters but has also been tough in dealing with acts of indiscipline.

Three leaders have been asked to explain why they did not co- operate during the electioneering for the recent Assembly polls. The decision to seek an explanation from three district secretaries, Mr. V. Mohammedkunju (Kollam), Mr. R.V. Moidutty (Thrissur) and Mr. P.T.A. Rahim (Kozhikode), was taken at a recent meeting of the State committee. The leadership had received complaints that the three leaders had campaigned against the official party candidates.

A section of partymen in the Koduvally constituency (Kozhikode) had demanded nomination of Mr. Rahim and protested against the candidature of Mr. C. Mamootty as the UDF candidate.

In the Eravipuram constituency in Kollam, the League candidate had lost by 20 votes. There too protests were heard from within the party against the official candidate, Mr. T.A. Ahmed Kabeer. Mr. Moidutty, the Thrissur district secretary, was the party candidate at Guruvayur in the 1996 Assembly polls. His supporters had protested when Mr. P.K.K. Bava was named the League candidate in this Assembly polls.

It is not yet known if the leadership intends to take tough action against the trio or whether they would be let off with a warning. A section of League supporters believes that the party leadership is not taking a strong stand in Nadapuram because of its reluctance to antagonise the CPI(M).

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