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.
It is no secret that the Samastha headed by Syed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal does not favour Mr. Sadikali Thangal taking leadership of the Muslim community. A group within the Samastha unofficially named Shajara is said to have been conspiring against the leadership of Mr. Sadikali Thangal and the IUML.
The Samastha leaders’ latest resignation from the CIC panels too has been an expression of displeasure with Mr. Sadikali Thangal.
It is alleged that the top leadership of the Samastha is being influenced by the Shajara group and is often being pushed to embarrassing situations. The resignation of Mr. Jifri Thangal and Samstha general secretary K. Alikutty Musliar from the CIC panels was, in effect, a slap on the face of Mr. Sadikali Thangal.
Mr. Jifri Thangal and Mr. Alikutty Musliar had earlier entrusted Mr. Sadikali Thangal to take any appropriate decision regarding the CIC crisis.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sadikali Thangal is understood to have strengthened his position vis-à-vis the Samastha and its leaders. Mr. Thangal as well as his family have been pushing with the Wafy-Wafiya curriculum by incorporating novel ideas, in spite of a stringent opposition from the Samastha and its subsidiaries.
The hardcore Shajara group in Samastha, meanwhile, has begun to promote Syed Mueenali Shihab Thangal, a rebel from the Panakkad Syed Shihab family.
Mr. Mueenali, son of former IUML president Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, was in news a few months ago when he spoke against IUML national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty. However, Mr. Mueenali has no support either from the Panakkad family or from the IUML.
By projecting Mr. Mueenali in connection with a new system of education being launched by the Samastha to combat the CIC, the Shajara group has been trying to spread confusion in the public about the Panakkad leadership.
