IUML removes women's wing chief from the post for praising BJP

Anwar had kicked up a storm by praising the BJP, saying the saffron party was growing fast in Kerala and other states.

Malappuram (Ker), May 6: A day after accepting her apology for making pro-BJP remarks, the Indian Union Muslim League on Saturday removed its women's wing chief Kamarunnisa Anwar from the post, prompting the saffron party to dub it as an act of "intolerance".

Anwar, the president of the Vanitha League, the women's wing of the IUML, had apologised to her party leadership, following which the coalition partner in the opposition Congress-led UDF had decided to drop the disciplinary proceedings against her on Friday.

However, it removed her and appointed party vice- president KP Mariamma to the post today, IUML sources said.

IUML general secretary KPA Majeed said the action was taken against Anwar after she justified her words. Anwar had kicked up a storm by praising the BJP, saying the saffron party was growing fast in Kerala and other states.

"I wish the BJP will be able to do good for the people and the state's development. We have expectations in this regard," she had said when BJP workers had come to her house in Tirur asking for a donation.

Anwar had also claimed that she had taken the permission of a senior IUML leader before making the donation to the BJP. A red-faced IUML sought to distance itself from her comment and decided to seek an explanation from her after it triggered a controversy.

Anwar maintained that she had not gone to take part in a BJP function. Instead, some local BJP leaders had come to her house for a donation. IUML leader KMA Kader said action was taken against Anwar as her comment praising the saffron party was not appropriate.

Reacting to the development, BJP Kerala unit chief Kummanam Rajasekharan said, "This shows the intolerance of the Muslim League. They should have taken her statement in a good spirit. Instead, they have taken action against her out of vengeance. The BJP considers this as an issue of freedom of opinion of a political party."

Anwar, associated with the IUML for nearly two decades, had crossed swords with her party last year for not fielding any woman candidate in the Kerala Assembly polls. She was stopped from addressing a gathering at a Muslim Youth League state conference in Kozhikode in November last.

PTI