Ulemas gave sense of direction to fight social injustice: Salih

Ponnani

: Muslim

ulemas

were not confined to spiritual spheres alone but they gave sense of direction to fights against social injustice, said

Salih

Kottappalli, state president of Students Islamic Organisation (SIO).

Speaking at the Dignity Caravan organized by SIO and Solidarity Youth Movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) here on Sunday, he said scholars like Shaikh Zainuddin Makhdoom and Veliyankode Umar Quasi were the main sources of inspiration for the anti-imperialist agitations in Kerala and it is time to recall the legendary figures.

Salih said Ponnani was the centre of knowledge that provided intellectual and ideological base for the fight against the Portuguese and the British.

“You will not find another community which is deeply rooted in history and tradition and the Sangh Parivar is asking the community to prove their citizenship,” Salih said.

Campuses have become the centre of agitations against the CAA in the country. “It is the reenactment of the history because the Ponnani dars (religious school) founded by Makhdooms was the source of inspiration for the freedom fighters. The legendary Variankunnath Kunjahammed Haji who fought against the British in 1921 was a continuation of this tradition,” he said.

In his inaugural speech Jamaat-e-Islami Kerala Amir’s M I Abdul Aziz challenged the Sangh Parivar to name at least one their leader who took participated in the freedom struggle. He hailed the struggle waged by different sessions of the society sinking their differences.

Solidarity Youth Movement state president Nahas Mala, Muthukoya Makhdoom Thangal, C V Jameela, Shihab Pookkotoor, Salim Mambad and others spoke.

Earlier, hundreds of people took out a rally from Veliyankode to Ponnani. Floats representing various incidents in the freedom struggle were presented at the rally.