CPM tempers tone after politburo member Baby’s ‘Israel a terrorist state’ statement

KOZHIKODE/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM secretariat in Kerala appealed to the Union government on Monday to take measures to ensure the safety of Malayalis presently trapped in Israel, issuing a statement with a more tempered tone after the party's politburo member M A Baby sparked controversy by referring to the west Asian nation as a terrorist state the day before.
The statement focused primarily on human rights and the safety of Malayalis, pointing out that the ongoing situation was exacerbated by Israel's annexation of Palestinian territories and the killing of Palestinian civilians. "Such issues should be settled in democratic ways. There should be interventions in this direction," the CPM said.
The party highlighted the importance of protecting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people by implementing the UNSC's dual-state resolution.
In response to Baby's statement, the BJP criticised CPM for what it perceived as minority appeasement and vote-bank politics.
"He (Baby) said Hamas hit out because they were left with no other option. But this is part of the religious appeasement of CPM for a few votes," BJP state president K Surendran said, while drawing parallels between the attack on Israel and the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack.
He condemned the attack carried out by Hamas, and asserted that both India and Israel are victims of terrorism. He accused the communists of acting as a "fifth column" in this context.
Commenting on the ongoing conflict, IUML's Kerala president Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal said Israel's stand had been more extreme than that of Hamas. He suggested that the current conflict might be a response to Israel's invasion and violence against Palestinians.
Muslim Youth League, the youth wing of the IUML, announced plans to organise a public event in solidarity with the people of Palestine at Mananchira in Kozhikode on October 12.