The Indian Union Muslim league, Kerala’s second biggest Opposition party, on Saturday removed senior leader Kamarunnisa Anwar from the post of State president of the Women’s league, the party’s women’s wing, for showering praise on the BJP and making a contribution to that party’s fund.
Though the allegedly male-dominated Muslim league leadership had on Friday decided not to go in for stringent action against Kamarunnisa, it was reportedly forced to oust her as State Women’s league’s chief due to intense protests from party workers who could not tolerate her act of praising BJP, a party they see as the main political enemy.
Though Muslim league’s national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty had said on Friday that a decision would be taken only after talking with Kamarunnisa, the leadership was forced to take strict action against her due to pressure from workers. Women’s league senior vice-president KP Mariyumma has been given the additional charge of the State president temporarily.
The league leadership’s new explanation is that action against her became unavoidable as she was not prepared to withdraw her statement praising the BJP and had continued to justify what she had said and done through the social media even after tendering a written apology in which she said there was a slip of tongue from her side.
According to KPA Majeed, Muslim league’s State general secretary, the party decided to take disciplinary action against her on the basis of the conviction that she had not corrected her position on the BJP. The party had got evidence to believe that she maintained her earlier stand on the BJP even after tendering an apology, he said.
Even after ouster as State Women’s league chief, Kamarunnisa maintained that she had done nothing wrong. She said she had participated in the BJP function with the knowledge and permission of top Muslim league leadership. According to her, she had been asked to “step aside” due to “pressures”.
She had showered praises on the BJP while inaugurating that party’s area fund collection at her residence in Tirur, Malappuram. She had said, “The BJP is a party which is growing fast in Kerala and outside. I expect it to work for the growth of the country. I wish them all success in this work for the betterment of the people.” She had also contributed Rs 2,000 to the BJP’s fund.
“The Muslim league had fought the April 12 lok Sabha by-election in Malappuram by projecting the BJP as our chief enemy. In this context, Kamarunnisa has done huge damage to the party by praising the BJP and making such a big contribution to that party’s fund. It was impossible to avoid action against her,” said a Muslim league source.
Anwar had courted controversy earlier by criticizing the leadership for not fielding woman candidates in the last Assembly election. Though there were reports that Kamarunnisa could contest the election, she was denied ticket due to the alleged pressure from the conservative elements in the male-dominated Muslim league leadership.