By TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent,
Kozhikode: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) central committee which was successful in collecting 35 Lakh Rupees for Muzaffarnagar riot victims is yet to spend a single penny from it; that too in a situation, where reports have started coming out of already over 40 children losing their lives succumbing to the lack of basic amenities in the relief camps in the chilling climate of December. Many of them are in a critical situation and the numbers of deaths are expected to go beyond that because this is only an official version.
The fund collected has been deposited in the account of IUML National Committee, from which any transactions can be carried out only on the nod of cabinet minister E Ahmed. Top leaders of IUML at the national level on query from the IUMl workers have admitted to this lapse and replied saying that Central Committee is yet to decide about the funds collected by them.
Over this issue, there have been serious criticisms against National President E Ahmed from within the League circles in Kerala because they accuse him of having vested interests behind this serious lapse. They say that earlier too there were similar cases where the fund collected was not used for a long period and then later got diverted and misused for private interests [Assam riots relief collection and so on are examples].
Some of the party insiders allege that the IUML National Committee had earlier collected a huge amount from Tamil Nadu and Kerala for Tsunami Relief, but practically did little. The second case is with regards to Assam riot relief, where they allegedly even sold out the clothes collected for relief in a bulk manner within Kerala and was caught red handed by locals in Mananthavadi, Wayanad District.
Taking into consideration these rebel voices within the party circles IUML national committee has decided to convene a meeting over this issue at Kozhikode on 23 December. But the rebel voices within League believe that this is another version of a political gimmick played by Ahmed and Co.
They say that after this meeting there is every chance that E Ahmed and Co will arrange a truck of relief materials to be sent from Kozhikode to Muzaffarnagar camps just to water down the strong protests raised within the League circles. And they say if that happens, nothing further would take place and the fund would stay frozen in the account for long and would get misused for private interest in future.
Sensing the resentment, party is trying to speed up the process. Khorrum Anis Omer, Delhi State President & National Secretary of IUML, has invited volunteers through Facebook, and is trying to present as if the process of sending relief material is underway.
Dissident voices within League say, they raised this issue not just over humanitarian concerns to Muzaffaragar victims but to cleanse the leadership which has a sole motto of misusing the party base for earning money.