Kerala Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan has issued a stern warning against communal polarisation. He also asserted that his government would not compromise on attempts to disrupt the secular fabric of Kerala.

Speaking to mediapersons at the Cantonment House on Friday, Mr. Satheesan lashed out at attempts to portray the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) as a non-secular entity.

Claiming that such moves were part of a calculated hate campaign, the Congress leader stressed that the IUML has been a major constituent of the United Democratic Front (UDF) since the times of K. Karunakaran. Besides, the party’s contribution was instrumental in the coalition’s electoral victory.

According to him, the attacks on the IUML is a strategic attempt to create a social divide. He warned that if the IUML was weakened, the resulting political vacuum would be filled by radical communal forces. The party served as a vital political barrier against such extremism, he said.

Secular credentials

Mr. Satheesan accused the BJP of consistently utilising communal propaganda to incite division at both the State and national levels. While acknowledging that certain community organisations may have personal grievances against him, he made it clear that he would not tolerate the spread of communalism. The UDF did not compromise its values for electoral gains and would continue to stand firm on its secular credentials.

“Kerala has sent a clear message to the nation that we are a secular State. We will not allow a single scratch on that identity. No force will be permitted to destroy the harmony in which our future generations must live. We will resist such attempts at any cost,” he said.