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St Antony Of The Breaches

The CM's comments on the 'minorities' shows up the petulant nature of coalition rule <a href=pti_coverage.asp?gid=86>Updates</a>

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St Antony Of The Breaches
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In his present avatar as chief minister, A.K. Antony has been courting one controversy after the other. Last year he took on the might of Kerala's government employees unions and refused to yield to their demands. Then he talked about liberalisation and economic reforms in a tone that shocked those who thought him a committed socialist. Now the Kerala CM has let another genie out of the bottle—taking on the powerful minority community lobbies. And this despite the fact that Muslims and Christians are well represented in the United Democratic Front (UDF) government that he heads.

It was a much-harassed Antony's statement at Thiruvananthapuram airport that triggered the latest row. Returning from the Congress conclave in Shimla, Antony faced a volley of questions on why he wasn't reacting to Praveen Togadia's statement that the VHP would not allow Muslims who fled Marad—after a communal flare-up—to be rehabilitated. Antony sidestepped the questions. Then he was asked whether he too was playing the soft Hindutva card like Digvijay Singh in MP and Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh?

Pat came Antony's reply: "We should see the reality in Kerala. The organised minorities secure more benefits from the government using their collective power. Other communities have a complaint that they bargain too much."

He went on to elaborate that minorities have benefited more from migrations to the Gulf and the US and that it had created economic disparities and social rifts. "Amid all this, political forces exploit the situation. Minority leaders here should see this and exercise more restraint. The feeling that one can push the government to any extent by one's organised power is not right. As chief minister, I have a right to advise them. If I have to speak, I speak the truth. Sometimes I keep mum. Since you asked me, I said the truth," he said.

But why did Antony, who belongs to a party which wears its secularism on its sleeve, make this statement? The CM himself provided the explanation after a cabinet meeting on July 16. He said he was pained by the developments following the killing of eight Hindus at Marad on May 2. Even two months after the massacre, the government could not convene a peace meeting attended by all sections. Instead of helping the government, the Indian Union Muslim League's ( IUML, a UDF constituent) district committee insisted on a July 15 deadline for rehabilitation of Muslims. "How can the League, which is a partner in the government, set deadlines?" asks an Antony camper.

Taking it further, the CM said on the education front several minority-managed institutions had refused to accept directions regarding fees and admission norms—a blow to the government which had unreservedly opened up the higher education sector. It didn't help that the uncompromising stand had also provoked pro-Left students on to the streets.

But sources close to the CM say there were other reasons as well. Both the Christian and Muslim lobbies have all along been pushing for benefits (many of the ministers are allegedly corrupt). Antony, known for his honesty, wanted to shake up some of his coalition partners who feel the religion card can get things moving in the secretariat. Says ex-additional chief secretary T.N. Jayachandran: "The level of ministerial corruption is nauseating. It is Antony's predicament that he has to preside over such a corrupt regime."

Be that as it may, in Kerala the fact is no mainstream party or leader has dared to take on the minorities. While Hindus comprise roughly 55 per cent of the population, Muslims make up 24 and the Christians 21 per cent. So the minorities clearly hold the key to winning elections.

Ever since the airport statement, the fusillade's been raining on Antony.First, it was the Muslim League, followed by the bishops and the Left parivar. The latter described it as another "Antony gimmick for majority appeasement". Then the anti-CM lobby kicked in, with the Congress (read the K. Karunakaran lobby) working overtime behind the scenes. Through all this, Antony has neither retracted nor apologised for what he has said.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) chief Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal reacted sharply to Antony's stated position at the post-cabinet press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram on July 16. He said he was "clearly dissatisfied with the stand adopted by the CM", adding his remarks will have "serious political implications". In the meantime, the IUML had officially communicated to Congress president Sonia Gandhi that Antony's statements had deeply hurt Muslim sentiments.

The church too is angry. Archbishop Joseph Mar Powathil took exception to the fact that the CM attacked educational institutions run by minorities. "If the minority community runs to the government and uses pressure tactics, as alleged by the chief minister, then why did it have to go to the courts to secure their rights even in the educational field? The UDF seems to have joined the race to attack minorities."

The one clear plus for Antony in all this is that he now enjoys a new Hindu approbation for his blunt-speak. Predictably, among those who spoke up for him was the BJP's Union minister of state for defence, O. Rajagopal: "Antony spoke the truth, the plain truth. We've been saying this for long and now the CM has said it." The Nair and backward Ezhava community leaders also patted Antony.

But what about the political fallout? On July 17, pcc president K. Muraleedharan (son of old Antony foe K. Karunakaran) called on the Muslim League president at his residence in Malappuram. Much is being read into this meeting. Later, Thangal said he wasn't satisfied by Antony's July 16 statement that he didn't wish to hurt anybody's sentiments although he stood by what he said on July 9. "It seems that he is following the pro-Hindutva line," said Thangal.

According to League insiders, the party's honeymoon with Antony is in serious jeopardy. They point out that Antony's refusal to retract or amend his statement and the League's unproductive meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi have pushed matters to the edge. Much now hinges on the meeting of senior party leaders in Kozhikode on July 21 which will decide on the future course of action.

With the current assembly session on till August 21, Antony could be in real trouble if the 23-member Karunakaran faction and the 17 MLAs of the League abstain from voting—should the CPI(M)-led opposition table a no-confidence motion. The UDF, which has 100 members in a 140-member House, might in such a scenario be reduced to a minority.

Adding to Antony's discomfort is the fact that the various Kerala Congress factions—owing allegiance to the Church and with a few MLAs each—can swing against the CM given that the clergy is upset with him. Much now depends on Sonia Gandhi. Her meeting with IUML leaders last week did not resolve the issue. Efforts are still on from the Congress side to bring the League around. But with Antony sticking to his stand, most political observers here are unclear as to how things will play out. Ask any Congressman in Kerala and they will tell you that everything now depends on whether Sonia Gandhi reins in Karunakaran or not.

For A.K. Antony, this is not the first time he's spoken against minority appeasement. In 1993, he did touch upon the subject but without attracting this level of outrage. But then he wasn't the CM then. The coming days will show whether he rides out the storm or sinks with it.

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