Hussain Madavoor, leader of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, has resigned from his post as the vice-chairperson of the Navodhana Samrakshana Samithi (Renaissance Protection Forum), a collective of leaders of religious organisations supported by the State government.

This is in protest against a remark made by Vellappally Natesan, chairperson of the samithi, that the Muslim community had been garnering undue favours from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Mr. Madavoor, also the Imam of the Palayam Juma Masjid in Kozhikode city, pointed out in a statement on Saturday that Mr. Natesan’s remark was immature and factually incorrect.

Mr. Natesan had claimed that the Ezhava community abandoned the LDF in the Lok Sabha polls because of its government’s appeasement of the Muslim minorities.

Mr. Madavoor demanded that Mr. Natesan withdraw the factually incorrect statement and tender an apology. If there had been any truth in his remark, the Muslim community would have voted for the LDF in the election, which did not happen. He pointed out that the Muslim community had many complaints against the government related to reservations, educational opportunities, and obstructions to the construction of places of worship. The community had also dismissed attempts to impose ideas such as “gender neutrality” and “LGBT culture” on school students.

Mr. Madavoor added that Mr. Natesan’s remark would only help fascist forces at a time when there was an urgent need for a joint struggle by the Ezhava and Muslim communities.