Kerala - Kozhikode   

Muslim leaders allege smear campaign

KOZHIKODE: Muslim leaders have condemned in one voice the use of the expression ‘Love Jihad’ by the media , officials and court to refer to an alleged organisation which, some say, uses love marriage as a pretext for converting young people to Islam.

In a joint statement here on Thursday, they warned that those ‘detective stories’ being spread by Sangh Parivar organisations and a section of the media would vitiate the social climate, deepen communal divide and make people suspicious of one another.

The signatories include Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal and P.K. Kunhalikutty (Indian Union Muslim League), K Alikutty Musaliar (Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema), A.P. Aboobacker Musaliar (Allsmear India Jam Iyyathul Ulema), T. Arif Ali (Jamaat-e-Islami Hind), T.P. Abdulla Madhani, M. Abdul Azees and E.K. Ahamedkutty (Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen), Abdul Nasir Maudany (PDP), Abdu Shokoor Maulavi Khasimi (All India Personal Board), Todiyoor Mohammed Kunhi Maulavi (Dakshina Kerala Jam Iyathul Ulema), P.M.A. Salam (INL), C.P. Kunhumohammed (MSS) and Fazal Gafoor (MES).

The Muslim leaders said “a constitutional body like the court should not be a party to a campaign unleashed by a section of the media and the Sangh Parivar.” They said that “to portray campus romance as Love Jihad amounts to denigrating religion.”

The leaders said romance and elopement had never been uncommon among youths. Young men and women of all religious faiths were involved in such incidents. But the contention that these are well planned and executed actions by Muslims backed by foreign funding is far-fetched.

“Such campaigns would only create fissures in social relationships; those behind these campaigns should be brought to book… we appeal to the media to keep away from these vicious and dangerous campaigns,” they said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Film CD released
Western classical music at NIT-C
Young minds blaze a trail
Literature in many tongues
Commemoration meet
Walk-in interview
Traders’ body stages dharna
Mullappally to open dialysis centre
Kannur school is quiz champion
Bypolls: UDF wins 3 wards
Muslim leaders allege smear campaign

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu