Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Leaders of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a constituent of India's ruling coalition, called on the people of India, especially the minorities, to rise to occasion in preventing the Hindu fascist forces from coming to power in the coming general elections. Addressing a packed audience at Golden Tulip Hotel auditorium on Sunday evening, they noted that Indian voters are now in a crucial juncture of choosing between the Congress-led secular forces and Hindu communal forces, led by Narendra Modi, who experimented "ethnic cleansing" of Muslims in the Western state of Gujarat in India. The speakers at the reception were UML National Treasurer and Kerala's Minister of Industries, IT and Haj P.K. Kunhalikutti, Malappuram District President Panakkad Sayyid Sadiqali Shihab Thangal, and National Secretary Siraj Ibrahim Sait. They called Modi's agenda as "in-conclusive mode of development" and creation of divide among the majority Hindus and minorities in India's pluralist society. In his speech, Kunhalikutti thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the Saudi government and people for their humanitarian gestures toward the expatriate community. “On behalf of the government of Kerala, I thank the King for the support and consideration being given to some 2.8 million Indian nationals working in the Kingdom. We are now on the path of transforming the traditional historic relations between the two countries to the level of strategic business partnership,” he said. Kunhalikutti also highlighted the role of Muslim League in giving proper orientation to the Muslim community by enabling them to focus on education and development as well as to prevent them from being lured to extremism. “We are now setting the ground for a creative social change in which the younger generation has a key role to play,” he said. Thangal said that India's one billion people are facing a crucial issue of safeguarding the country's secular fabric from the onslaught of Hindu communal fascist forces. “Modi, who came from the land of India's Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, is a loyal follower of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Gandhi. It is high time to unite all secular forces to prevent Modi's all-out bid to become the prime minister by playing a ‘card of development' with the tacit support of some of the country's major corporate business groups,” he said, urging Indian expatriates to play their role in safeguarding the country's secular fabric and rich cultural identity based on "unity in diversity." Echoing the same view, Siraj Sait urged the ruling Congress party to learn a great lesson from the recent assembly election debacle and rectify mistakes. “Being the largest secular party, Congress must have to play a decisive and crucial role in preventing the communal forces from coming to power.” He also called for the release of hundreds of Muslim youths detained illegally in various parts of the country, besides giving them compensation. The function was inaugurated by the Saudi National Committee President of Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC) K.P. Mohammed Kutty. Muhammad Alungal, Chairman and Managing Director of Al-Abeer Medical Group, P.K. Kunju, Deputy Chairman of Malappuram District Panchayat, and E.P. Ubaidullah delivered felicitation speeches. Palayatt Ahmed, President of KMCC Jeddah Central Committee, presided over the function in which General Secretary Abubacker Arimbra welcomed the gathering and Anwar Cherangai delivered the vote of thanks. Several leaders of the Keralite community and prominent businessmen in Jeddah were among the audience.
