Kerala leader calls for 'separate Malabar state' amid higher secondary classes seat row

A fresh controversy has been broken in Kerala, after a Sunni Yuvajana Sangam leader called for dividing the state into two parts, thus creating a new 'Malabar State'. 

The comments were made by Mustafa Mundupara while speaking at a protest against the educational department of Kerala for not providing sufficient seats for SSLC pass-outs. 

SYS leader calls for dividing Kerala

During the speech, Mundupara said that there is a huge disparity between Southern Kerala and Malabar in terms of facilities and resources.

The Northern region of Kerala, also known as the Malabar, comprises districts including Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kozhikode and Kasargode. 

According to Mundupara, people living in both these regions pay the same tax, and hence they are entitled to receive the same facilities and privileges. 

"When we see this injustice between southern Kerala and Malabar, if there is demand from any part that there needs to be a separate Malabar state, we can't blame them," said the SYS leader, according to an ANI report. 

He added: "If the people of Malabar are paying the same taxes as those in southern Kerala, we should receive the same facilities. There is no point in saying it is separatism. What will happen in the country if there is a Malabar state?" 

Students from the opposition parties including the Kerala Students Union and Fraternity are currently carrying out protests all across the Malabar region citing the education department's failure to provide sufficient class eleven seats. 

BJP retaliates

As Mundupara's comments went viral, the Bharatiya Janata Party quickly retaliated and said that the comments made by the SYS leader regarding the division of Kerala were against national integrity. 

"Anyone who believes that the banning of the Popular Front has eradicated extremist forces in Kerala is gravely mistaken," wrote BJP chief K Surendran on his X page. 

He added: "The audacity of SYS leader Mustafa Mundupara in demanding the division of Kerala, coupled with the silence of Pinarayi Vijayan and V.D. Satheesan, starkly reveals the harsh truth: The Congress and Communist parties in Kerala are on their knees, shamelessly compromising national integrity for votes." 

Surendran also noted that BJP will strongly resist any moves to divide Kerala. 

"These political entities are the biggest obstacles to PM Narendra Modi Ji's unwavering mission to eliminate separatist forces from our nation," he noted.