IUML clears Rs 49 lakh loan dues, saves M K Muneer’s ancestral home from attachment

Kozhikode: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Wednesday stepped in to rescue former minister and senior party leader M K Muneer from losing his ancestral home, ‘Crescent House' at Nadakkavu, by clearing an outstanding loan of Rs 49 lakh.The house, built by Muneer's father and former chief minister and IUML stalwart C H Mohammed Koya, holds deep emotional significance to the party. It has served as a venue where key discussions were held, and many party decisions were taken over the years. Calicut Town Service Cooperative Bank had recently issued a notice warning of attachment proceedings if the dues were not cleared by March 31. IUML has deposited the amount through its official account averting the attachment. Muneer said he had not informed the party about the financial difficulty, as the loan was taken for personal purposes. "I did not want to burden the party. But the leadership reached out and assured me support," he said, referring to calls from party state president Panakkad Sadikkali Shihab Thangal and national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty. In a Facebook post, Muneer expressed deep gratitude, saying the party stood by him with unwavering support during the difficult phase. He said he would remain indebted to the party, adding that the episode reaffirmed his belief that ‘love and relationships are greater than material wealth'. Muneer said that his old classmates, close friends, people who know him and even those who have only seen or heard him from afar, those he admires, those who care for him and people from cultural, social and artistic fields, both in India and abroad all stood with him with words of comfort and prayers. "This gives me a joy I can hardly describe. Even those who do not know us personally reached out, consoled me and offered help. I see this as a genuine expression of human compassion. I pray that your support and prayers continue, and I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart," he said. The Rs 70 lakh loan, originally taken for renovation purposes was partly repaid, but the outstanding amount swelled to Rs 58 lakh before the bank agreed to a one-time settlement of Rs 49 lakh.