Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama (SKJU) president Syed Mohammed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal has said that he had received telephonic threats to his life from anonymous callers in the wake of his stand against using mosques for anti-government protests in connection with the dispute over leaving Waqaf Board appointments to the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC).
Mr. Thangal had been in the news a few weeks ago when he shot down the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)’s plans to use mosques on Fridays to campaign against the State Government move to leave Waqaf Board appointments to the KPSC.
During a function held at a Quran learning institution at Anakkayam near Manjeri the other day, Mr. Thangal said he had had various threats from unidentified people. But he said he did not want to register any complaint.
Mr. Thangal said that he was threatened that he too would meet with the same fate as that of CM (C.M. Abdulla Musliar) 11 years ago. C.M. Abdulla Musliar, former kazi of Chembarika-Mangalapuram and a senior scholar of the SKJU, the largest Muslim organisation in the State, was found dead in the sea in 2010. His death was suspected to have been a case of murder.
Mr. Thangal said that he would not take the threat calls seriously as “social workers and leaders who stand for genuine causes would have to face many difficulties, including threats.”
The IUML, the political party to which the SKJU has the closest relation, described the threat to Mr. Thangal as a failure of the law and order in the State. According to IUML State general secretary P.M.A. Salam, the threat to a senior religious scholar like Jifri Thangal indicated the failure of the Home Department and the collapse of the State’s law and order.
The government assured support to Mr. Thangal and said that it would take any threat to him seriously. Minister for Waqaf V. Abdurahiman called the Samastha leader and reassured him of the government’s support. The DYFI blamed the IUML for the threat against Mr. Thangal. It said that the IUML was upset over Mr. Thangal’s criticism against it. It said that the threat against Mr. Thangal was shocking.
