Rahul Gandhi filed his candidature today from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala. The Congress party is in alliance with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) which in turn is tied up with Jammat-e-Islami and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), both accused by National Investigation Agency (NIA) of spreading radicalism in Kerala.
A huge number of Muslim league flags were witnessed at Wayanad today at the Congress President’s roadshow. Videos have been circulating on social media where scores of green flags with the Islamic crescent and star were seen.
https://twitter.com/AkshayKatariyaa/status/1113722642786279424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The official handle of the Congress party on Twitter shared images where the Muslim league flags are clearly visible.
https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/1113722153810132993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The presence of IUML flags was also confirmed by pictures shared by Times of India on Twitter through its official handle.
https://twitter.com/timesofindia/status/1113680470238224384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/timesofindia/status/1113690706177069056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The flags are also visible in a video shared by CNN News18.
https://twitter.com/CNNnews18/status/1113740955058724865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Images shared by Congress social media team also confirm the presence of the flags.
https://twitter.com/abhijitsapkal1/status/1113689805626400769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/bhatia_niraj23/status/1113698319065387008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/kahlonjaskaran/status/1113740916844453888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The presence of the flags in the Nehru-Gandhi Parivar’s road show acquires a special significance as the Congress party had allegedly given strict instructions to its ally, the IUML, not to use the flags as it might harm their political prospects in North India. The CPI(M), too, had claimed that Rahul Gandhi was in the company of extremist Muslims at Wayanad.
IUML’s association with radical Islamist outfits SDPI was also pointed out by CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who had said, “Gandhi is contesting as the candidate of Congress-IUML-Jammat-SDPI. Congress should think whether seeking the support of Muslim extremist organizations would benefit Congress at the national level.”
Wayanad is a Muslim majority constituency where they make up 56% of the electorate. Hindus are in minority with only 34%.