Kerala Muslim League rally triggers row over remarks against Hindu leaders
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The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has landed in controversy after a celebratory rally in Kerala’s Idukki district triggered criticism over provocative slogans raised during the procession. The march was organised after the announcement of VD Satheesan as Chief Minister.
Satheesan, meanwhile, was not the preferred choice for sections within the NSS and SNDP leadership. He has publicly disagreed with both organisations on several issues in the past, and the slogans raised during the rally were widely seen as a reflection of those underlying tensions.
Videos from the rally showed party workers raising slogans claiming that the Muslim League “decides the laws” in Kerala. Some of the chants also targeted prominent community leaders, including Nair Service Society (NSS) chief Sukumaran Nair and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.Several slogans questioned the influence of these leaders while projecting the political strength of the League. One of the chants stressed that “self-respect and existence cannot be mortgaged before anyone,” adding to the political heat around the event.
The Muslim League, which holds 22 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, is the second-largest party in the Congress-led UDF alliance. The party had openly backed V. D. Satheesan for the Chief Minister’s post even before the Congress leadership formally announced its decision.
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The controversy has once again fuelled accusations from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party, both of whom have long claimed that the Congress in Kerala operates under the influence of the Muslim League and increasingly aligns with its political priorities.
Satheesan, meanwhile, was not the preferred choice for sections within the NSS and SNDP leadership. He has publicly disagreed with both organisations on several issues in the past, and the slogans raised during the rally were widely seen as a reflection of those underlying tensions.
As the backlash grew, reports said the Muslim Youth League suspended its Idukki district committee over the incident.
The Congress announced Satheesan as Kerala’s next Chief Minister on Thursday after nearly 10 days of internal discussions and speculation over the leadership decision.
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The BJP has since sharpened its attack, alleging that the next Kerala government would effectively function under IUML’s influence. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar claimed Satheesan’s rise to the top post was backed by the Muslim League as well as Jamaat-e-Islami, which he described as an Islamist political force.
The BJP also shared several memes and social media posts targeting both the Congress and IUML leadership in the aftermath of the controversy.