In a sharp political attack, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader K M Shaji has accused the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) of deliberately spreading Islamophobia to secure political gains in the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Kerala. Shaji asserted that the CPM, fearing an electoral defeat, is making statements that threaten to tear apart the state's cherished secular fabric.
Allegations of Planned Communal Rhetoric
Shaji claimed that after a decade in power, the ruling party should be presenting its development achievements to the public. Since they lack substantial governance successes to showcase, they are resorting to promoting communalism as a last-ditch tactic. He alleged that this shift to divisive politics is a well-planned strategy approved by the party committee itself.
"When they cannot win through governance, CPM resorts to the last tactic of dividing people by caste and religion," Shaji stated. He further accused even senior CPM leaders of openly spreading Islamophobia in front of the media, indicating a top-down approach to this campaign.
The Controversial Reference to Marad Riots
The IUML leader specifically referred to a remark made by CPM leader Balan. Balan had suggested that if the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) returned to power, the state's Home Department would effectively come under the control of the Jamaat-e-Islami. Balan linked this scenario to a potential repetition of incidents like the Marad riots of 2002-03.
Shaji strongly condemned this narrative. He described the Marad violence as an unfortunate disaster that the cultural fabric of Kerala had collectively worked to overcome and move past. "It was an unfortunate disaster that Kerala is trying to forget and should forget," he emphasized.
Questioning the Political Motive
Shaji posed a critical question about the timing and intent behind reviving the memory of a two-decade-old tragedy. He pointed out that a generation of voters who were not even born at the time of the Marad riots are now exercising their franchise.
"What political situation has arisen now to bring this incident back into public memory and discussion?" he asked. He challenged whether productive politics involved reminding young voters of a past disaster to create negativity or discussing future development to engage them constructively.
Shaji argued that the CPM's calculation—that mentioning Marad would scare the Muslim community and rally other communities to the Left—is fundamentally flawed. He cited the recent panchayat election results as evidence that the public has not accepted the CPM's communal rhetoric.
The leader concluded by reaffirming that such communal statements are a sign of a party with no governance record to run on, attempting to win votes by fracturing society. The accusations set the stage for a highly charged electoral battle in Kerala, where secularism remains a core political issue.
