A Congress rally held in support of the Palestinian people at the Kozhikode beach here on Thursday turned out to be that party’s show of strength ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Kerala while senior party leaders took potshots at the CPI(M) for its alleged attempts to woo the minorities and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Prominent Muslim community leaders marked their presence on the stage as the Congress affirmed its commitment to the Palestinian cause with beaming photos of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Palestine Liberation Organisation former chairman Yasser Arafat being screened in the background. Congress Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor, whose participation had led to much speculation earlier, was present too.
Opening the event, All-India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal recalled the party’s stand, and that of the Union government, on the issue from the days of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi. “A change in that stand happened first during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time. After Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister, it changed completely. Mr. Modi was the first one to support Israel [after the October 7 incident], that too through X (formerly Twitter). It was shameful for India to have abstained from a United Nations General Assembly vote that sought a ceasefire,” he said. Mr. Venugopal claimed that both Mr. Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Prime Minister were of the same type as they use foreign policy as a public relations exercise to win elections.
Mr. Venugopal also criticised the CPI(M), without naming it, for creating confusion about the Congress stand on people’s minds. He said there was no room for any confusion or concern as the party was always with Palestine, and read out a CWC resolution issued on October 9. It was a humanitarian issue, not something to be used for electoral purposes or for votes, he added.
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleged that the Communists were in favour of Israel by pointing out USSR leader Stalin’s demand for an Independent Israel and the visit of delegations representing Left Front governments in West Bengal and Kerala to that country. Ramesh Chennithala, MLA, also came down on the CPI(M) for using the Palestine issue for “vote bank politics”.
Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, IUML State president, who was the chief guest, gave a leg up to the Congress, saying his party had a strong bond with it, which would continue in the future too. “There will be calls, counter-calls and intuitions. Power is not important for us. It is the political stand that matters. We will be with the Congress,” he added.
While P.K. Kunhalikutty, party national general secretary endorsed this, Syed Mohammed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal, president of the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, urged Congress workers to get ready for the Lok Sabha polls. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran and K. Muraleedharan, MP, among others, were present.
