IUML freezes state committee of Haritha for 'gross indiscipline'

MALAPPURAM: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Tuesday decided to freeze the state committee of MSF-Haritha, the women's wing of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), accusing its leaders of making public the differences within the organisation.

Last week, a group of women activists of the MSF, the student-arm of the IUML, had petitioned the State Women's Commission seeking action against a few of its male leaders who had allegedly made derogatory remarks against women members, putting the party and its allied organisations in a fix.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, IUML state general secretary P M A Salam said the party state committee has decided to freeze the Haritha state committee for making public the issue, which is gross indiscipline, that too at a time when the party was trying to sort out the differences in the MSF and Haritha.

Salam said the party has also decided to seek an explanation from MSF leaders --state president P K Nawaz, Malappuram district president Kabir Muthuparamba and district general secretary V A Wahab--who have allegedly made anti-women remarks.

They have been asked to give an explanation in two weeks.

The state committee will decide on further course of action after receiving their explanation, the party said.

MSF-Haritha leaders have petitioned the state Women's Commission against Nawaz and a couple of other MSF leaders for allegedly using vulgar language during the MSF’s state leadership meeting held on June 22.

The women students wing decided to approach the Commission after the IUML leadership allegedly failed to address their grievances.

Party sources said the leadership had assured the Haritha activists that appropriate action will be taken against the MSF leaders but wanted them to withdraw their petition with the State Women's Commission first.

Refusing to budge, the women activists took a firm stand that they would withdraw the petition only after proper disciplinary action was taken against the leaders.