Date:10/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/10/stories/2008111054010300.htm

Kerala

Congress to resist terror branding of Muslims: KPCC

Staff Reporter

CPI(M) paving way for communal militancy: Chennithala

At the meet: (From left) KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, IUML State general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty and Congress leader M.M. Hassan at the inaugural of the Kerala NGO Association State conference in Malappuram on Sunday.

MALAPPURAM: The Congress will resist any move to brand Muslims as terrorists, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala said here on Sunday.

Inaugurating the 34th State conference of the Kerala NGO Association, Mr. Chennithala said the Muslim community should not be held responsible for the acts of a few individuals.

He said Indian Muslims had a great tradition rooted in nationalism, and they were in the forefront to sacrifice themselves for the country. He said the Congress had a tradition of opposing bothminority and majority communalism. Mr. Chennithala accused the CPI(M) of paving way for communal militancy in the State. He warned that joining hands with anyone attempting to destroy the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) would beharmful.

Describing the possibility of a third front as a dream, Mr. Chennithala said only the Congress would be able to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar at the national level.

Kottathala Mohanan, State president of the NGO Association, presided over the function. IUML State general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, Congress leader M.M. Hassan, KPCC general secretary Benny Behanan and INTUC State president R. Chandrasekharan spoke. District Congress president E. Mohammed Kunhi welcomed the gathering. Aryadan Mohammed, MLA, inaugurated a symposium on ‘India and the globaleconomic crisis.’

V.K.N. Panikkar, former State president of the NGOAssociation and Mr. Hassan spoke. Congress leader Mullappally Ramachandran inaugurated a seminar on‘Indian democracy and the challenge of terrorism.’ Mahila Congress State president Shanimol Usman also addressed the gathering.

A.P. Anil Kumar, MLA, inaugurated a cultural meeting. Nilambur grama panchayat president Aryadan Shoukath presided over the function. Novelist P. Surendran and filmmaker Samad Mankada spoke.