E-Paper
Kerala Muslim bodies vow to weed out extremist elements
Under siege after the recent attack on a lecturer, Muslim organisations in Kerala have chalked out a strategy to weed out extremist elements from the community.
Under siege after the recent attack on a lecturer, Muslim organisations in Kerala have chalked out a strategy to weed out extremist elements from the community.
Muslim organisations have decided to isolate radical organisations such as Popular Front of India (PFI) and Jammat-e-Islami.
The organisations will hold a campaign throughout the state to sensitise 'mahal' and mosque committees about the need to boycott these outfits.
"A miniscule section is out to discredit the entire community. We will not allow their designs. We have started an all-out campaign to isolate these elements," said P.K. Kunhalikutty, general-secretary of the All India Muslim League.
T.J. Joseph's right hand was chopped off in July for preparing an allegedly blasphemous question paper. Investigations revealed PFI had carried out the attack.
During the probe, the police also unearthed information about the growing fundamentalist network in the state.
Hate pamphlets, documents of huge money transactions and CDs depicting maiming of Westerners were recovered from PFI activists.
"Some organisations are attracting youth by campaigning against fascism and globalisation. They get huge foreign remittances in return. We have to expose these outfits," said K.M. Shaji, Youth League president.
There were also reports that PFI runs "Taliban-like" courts in the state. The attack on Joseph had been allegedly ordered by one such court.
Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had recently said radicals were trying to "Islamize the state."
At least half a dozen such organisations are working in the coastal Malabar region, once considered the bastion of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, or SIMI.
