The response of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leadership to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s move demanding the resignation of the Vice Chancellors of leading universities in the State which is contrary to the stance adopted by the Congress could have more to it than meets the eye.
IUML leaders P. K. Kunhalikutty and E. T. Mohammed Basheer, both MPs, and party State general secretary P.M.A. Salam were unambiguously explicit and direct in criticising the move of the Governor. While the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front has branded the Governor as a proxy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the IUML not only labelled him a Sangh Parivar stooge but also as a person who does not follow the Islamic way of life.
The IUML’s sharp reaction could be attributed to the protracted stand off between the party leadership and the Governor on several issues concerning the Muslim community.
Earlier, the party had vehemently criticised the Governor for his comments on Muslim women wearing hijab. Amid the raging hijab controversy in educational institutions across Karnataka, Mr. Khan had commented that the headscarf was meant to keep Muslim women oppressed. His statements supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act had invited strident criticism by the IUML leadership.
The Governor had also slammed a senior functionary of the IUML-backed Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, M.T. Abdulla Musaliyar who had chided the organisers for inviting a girl student on stage during an award function.
However, the IUML’s reaction to the latest move by the Governor to unseat Vice Chancellors of universities seemed to have provided a political opportunity for the LDF.
On Wednesday, addressing a press conference, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan perceived a disagreement in the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) on the issue.
He said IUML leaders had emphatically rejected the governor’s trespasses on the jurisdictional autonomy of varsities while KPCC president K. Sudhakaran and Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan had brazenly endorsed the Governor’s resolve to seek the resignation of Vice Chancellors. He lashed out at Mr. Satheesan for terming the spat between Raj Bhavan and the government as a “fake encounter”.
Incidentally the Congress and the IUML leadership off and on had to maintain that there was no disagreement within the UDF when it comes to taking on the Left government. And both parties also blame the Governor for yielding to many decisions of the State government when he should have resisted.
