New Delhi: A war of words between the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerela over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has sparked off the differences between the two parties with the Congress saying that "their biggest rival in Kerala is CPI(M). Weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, both Congress and CPIM appeared on the same table at the Patna opposition meet with their call for a united political battle against the BJP.
But, while both the parties seemed to be in unity at the national level, at the state level in Kerala, their differences are crystal clear with both parties opposing each other. Talking to ETV Bharat, Congress State President K Sudhakaran said that "CPI(M) is our biggest rival in Kerala at the state level while at the national level it is the BJP."
When being asked to comment on whether the Congress has invited CPM and their allies for the upcoming seminars and programmes on UCC, he said "No. We will not invite CPM because they have a different approach and we cannot join them. But, we are inviting CPI." On the invitation to Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the Congress leader said, "Yes, we have invited them as they are a very important component and I have even talked to them. They have confirmed their presence and will be attending seminars and programmes on UCC."
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Earlier, when the CPM invited the IUML for their seminars on UCC, the latter rejected the invitation citing that they cannot attend any such seminar without the Congress while the grand old party blamed the CPM for attempting to divide the UDF. Sudhakaran further said that the Congress is “also thinking whether to invite the CPM or not”.
“After the discussion, if it is decided, then we can invite CPM," he said to a question on why they have invited the CPM. He further said that CPI(M) called for a UCC and reforms in the Muslim personal law in 1985 when E M S Namboodiripad was the general secretary. This manifests the "double standards of the CPM", he added. MV Govindan, State Secretary of CPM on this issue said that "we will not invite Congress in our seminars. They have a double standard approach. While the Kerala Congress is speaking in one tone but the Chattisgarh unit and their other state unites have a different approach."
When asked to comment on whether IUML be invited, he replied that "I only speak Malayalam." It is pertinent to note here that IUML is a major ally of Congress led UDF and the invitation to them by the CPM irritated the grand old party, as they fear that they could lose the Muslim vote bank. When contacted IUML state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thanga, said that "We will not join any seminar or programme which will be launched by CPM."
To a question on why Muslim religious body Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama had joined the CPI(M), he replied that "I cannot comment on this. You need to ask from them." Similarly, Senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Atul Kumar Anjaan on this said, "As of now, we haven't received any invitation from Congress yet.
If we're invited, then we'll not hesitate to go. This is not a state based issue as it's a national issue and the entire opposition needs to come together to form a consensus on UCC and fight against the BJP."
