Call for separate Malabar State by Muslim organisation in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) – ‘Sunni Yuvajan Sangam (SYS)’s leader Mustafa Mundupara has demanded a separate Malabar State, in response to the demand of change of name of Kerala State to ‘Keralam’. Mustafa made such a demand while addressing the demonstrations staged to protest against lack of adequate seats for 11th standard in Malabar region. Mustafa stated that he would not blame anyone for demanding separate Malabar State when he sees the injustice done to Southern Kerala and Malabar. People of Malabar and Southern Kerala are paying the same tax and should be given same facilities. Such a demand need not be considered as separatism.
BJP’s criticism
Kerala BJP Chief K Surendran said while criticising Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and opposition leader Satheesan, “Anyone who believes that the extremist forces have been eliminated in Kerala with the banning of ‘the Popular Front of India (PFI)’, is gravely mistaken. The audacity of SYS leader Mustafa Mundupara in demanding division of Kerala and Pinarayi Vijayan and Satheeshan’s silence on the issue, shows that the Congress and Communist parties have fallen on their knees before the separatists, shamelessly compromising the national integrity for votes.
Similar demand of independent Malabar was made even in 2021
This is not the first time that demand of Malabar State has been made by dividing Kerala. In 2021, ‘Kerala Sunni Students’ Federation’ had made a similar demand. Anwar Sadiq Faisi, the Editor of this organisation’s mouthpiece ‘Satyadhara’ had demanded a separate State of Malabar by dividing Kerala. Mustafa’s demand of Malabar as a separate State, includes regions viz. Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasargod in this region. According to the census conducted in 2011, population of Muslims in Thrissur is 17.07%, in Palakkad, it is 27.96%, Malappuram- 70.24%, Kozhikode – 37.66%, Wayanad – 28.65%, Kannur – 29.43% and Kasargod has 37.24% of Muslim population.
| Editorial Perspective
This organisation will demand Malabar as a separate nation in future, if it becomes an independent State. |