The Hindu : Ravi to apprise Sonia of UDF crisis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 21, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Ravi to apprise Sonia of UDF crisis

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI JULY 20. The AICC general secretary, Vayalar Ravi, has said that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leadership is `under tremendous pressure from its cadres' (to take a harsh decision) on the political crisis caused by the Chief Minister's controversial remarks on minorities.

He told presspersons here on Sunday that he had asked the IUML leadership not to take drastic steps like leaving the UDF. Mr. Ravi, who along with the UDF convener, Oommen Chandy, had held talks with the IUML supremo, Panakkad Syed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal, on Saturday evening, left for New Delhi on Sunday.

He said he would apprise the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, of the current political situation in the State. It was on Ms. Gandhi's directive that he and Mr. Chandy had gone to Panakkad to talk to Mr. Shihab Thangal. The IUML is expected to take a decision at its crucial secretariat meeting on Monday. Mr. Ravi hoped the crisis would blow over.

To a question, Mr. Ravi said the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran's actions were not conducive to finding a solution to the present political crisis. He said the AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Ahmed Patel, may intervene, if necessary, to sort out the crisis in the Congress and the UDF.

Kanthapuram's demand

Meanwhile, the influential Muslim cleric and all-India general secretary of Jamiyathul Ulema, Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, said the IUML should have viewed the Chief Minister's remarks `more seriously' and taken a `stronger step'. However, he felt it was not necessary that the IUML leave the Government. Such a step would thrust an unnecessary election on the people and heavy expenditure on the Government.

Talking to presspersons here on Sunday, he wanted the IUML and other minority parties like the Kerala Congress to bring pressure on the Chief Minister to get him `correct his anti-minorities remarks'.

Mr. Aboobacker said the Chief Minister could make amends by implementing the Narendran Commission recommendations to make good the shortfall in Ezhava, Muslim and Latin Christian representations in Government services.

Murali leaves for Delhi

The KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, MP, has left for New Delhi to apprise Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Patel, of the problems in the UDF Ministry.

The high command should intervene in the matter and clarify its stand on the reported comments made by the Chief Minister, Mr. Muraleedharan told reporters here today.

He said that only the high command would be able to solve the present crisis and that it should not solicit the help of the State leadership to end the stalemate.

Mr. Muraleedharan also came down heavily on Mr. Antony and criticised the State Government for delaying the rehabilitation of the Muslim families in Marad, while inaugurating a seminar organised by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), affiliated to the IUML, at the Kozhikode Press Club here on Sunday.

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