Thiruvananthapuram: Taking a dig at Jamaat-e-Islami, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan branded the outfit as an 'Islamic version' of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a 'revivalist organisation' working towards establishing an 'Islamic world' or caliphate.
Vijayan was speaking at the lunch ceremony of a book titled Kerala, Muslim Rashtreeyam, Rashtriya Islam (Kerala, Muslim Politics, and Political Islam) by P J Rajan, a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
He contrasted Jamaat-e-Islami with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), referring to the latter as a 'reformist organisation' allied with Jamaat to defeat communists.
“Jamaat-e-Islami and IUML should not be viewed the same way. The former is a religious imperialist organisation, while the latter has never had such an agenda," he said, adding that IUML has been involved in social reforms since its inception during the British era.
The CM’s remarks reflect the complex political dynamics in Kerala0, where Jamaat-e-Islami and communists have had ideological differences for a long. Despite some members of Jamaat now appearing to support the communist and socialist ideas, Vijayan said the intensity of communist opposition remains undiluted.
Earlier Vijayan said the ruling CPI(M) in the state opposes both majority and minority communalism and would not compromise with either side.
Anyone, who is backed by a particular communal force, cannot hope to depict CPI(M) and its members as non-secular by making baseless statements as such hopes will turn out to be mere delusion. The CM was speaking after inaugurating the AKG Auditorium in Kozhikode constructed by the Left party's District Committee.
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