The ongoing tug-of-war between the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and the Coordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC) has exposed the former’s intolerance towards the Muslim community’s leadership being wielded by Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal of Panakkad and his party, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Mr. Thangal is president of both the IUML and the CIC, the latter being an umbrella organisation of eight-dozen Arabic colleges following the Wafy-Wafiya curriculum in Kerala.
When Mr. Thangal accepted the resignation tendered by CIC general secretary Abdul Hakeem Faizy Adrissery, there was a general feeling of a truce between the CIC and the Samastha. However, the resignation of the top Samastha leaders from the CIC advisory panels a couple of days ago made it clear that Mr. Faizy was not the Samastha’s target.
