Kerala CM condemns attacks on India’s minorities

Oommen Chandy, the chief minister of the southern Indian state of Kerala, has urged people to take the pledge to safeguard the world’s second most populated country’s tradition of religious harmony and tolerance.
In an apparent reference to a series of recent attack on minorities and their institutions in India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office last year, he said the country had always stood united and defeated such sectarian tendencies.
“India has always held high its rich socio-cultural traditions. Its core value is the respect for others. But there are forces trying to undermine the idea of India. We cannot tolerate them and they would be fought with and defeated,” he said.
Chandy was inaugurating the delegates’ meet of the 60th annual conference of the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham, the youth wing of All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama led by Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed, popularly known as Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, here on Friday.
He said the SYS had set an example of upholding these values and its discipline and organizational capabilities should be emulated by all.
“The sentiments against sectarianism should itself not be sectarian,” said the senior leader of India’s principal opposition Congress party.
“The very social infrastructure of India, which is based on secularism, is under threat. Deliberate attempts are being made to destroy the country’s secular fabric”.
Syed Mohammed Ashrafi, president of the All India Ulema Board, was the chief guest at the meet being attended by some 15,000 delegates. The conference will conclude with a huge rally, expected to be attended by around 100,000 sympathizers.
Noted journalist Ajit Sahi inaugurated a media seminar while AP Anil Kumar, the minister for the welfare of backward classes, inaugurated a special session on labor. There are 14 different sessions discussing various issues being held as part of the conference.
The session for farmers was inaugurated by KP Mohanan, the state’s agriculture minister while labor minister Shibu Baby John opened the meet of Santhwanam Club, the group’s arm for palliative care.
Manjalam Kuzhi, the minister for the welfare of minorities, inaugurated a youth meet and Azam Khan, the minority welfare minister of Uttar Pradesh state, inaugurated the meet on national integration.
Delegates from within the country and abroad are attending the four-day conference opened on Thursday at the Thajul Ulama Nagar, Kottakkal, in this Muslim-dominated district in Kerala. Muslims constitute 26.6 percent of Kerala’s 33.4 million population.