Indian Union Muslim League

Indian Union Muslim League (abbreviated as the IUML or Muslim League) is a muslim political party primarily based in Kerala. It is recognised as a State Party in Kerala by the Election Commission of India.

Indian Union Muslim League
AbbreviationI. U. M. L.
PresidentK. M. Kader Mohideen
ChairmanSayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal
SecretaryP. K. Kunhalikutty
Rajya Sabha LeaderP. V. Abdul Wahab
Lok Sabha LeaderE. T. Muhammed Basheer
FounderM. Muhammad Ismail
Founded
  • 10 March 1948 (1948-03-10) (First Council)
  • 1 September 1951 (1951-09-01) (Constitution)
Preceded byAIML
HeadquartersQuaid-e-Millath Manzil, No. 36, Maraikayar Lebbai Street, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Student wingMuslim Students Federation (msf)
Youth wingMuslim Youth League (Youth League)
Women's wingMuslim Women's League
Labour wingSwatantra Thozhilali Union (STU)
Peasant's wingSwathanthra Karshaka Sangam (SKS)
IdeologyIslamic democracy
Liberal conservatism
Political positionCentre-right to right-wing
AllianceUDF (Kerala)
SPA (Tamil Nadu)
INDIA (national level)
Seats in Rajya Sabha
2 / 245
Seats in Lok Sabha
3 / 543
Seats in Kerala Legislative Assembly
15 / 140
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
iumlkerala.org

After the Partition of India and the formation of seperate muslim country Pakistan by the All-India Muslim League, the All-India Muslim League was formally disbanded in India. In Pakistan The All-India Muslim League was officially succeeded by the Pakistan Muslim League, which eventually split into several political parties. In India, it is officially succeeded by Indian Union Muslim League, of it's first council was held on 10 March 1948 at the south Indian city of Madras (now Chennai), as it was not possible to establish another organization in North India due to the agitation surrounding the creation of seperate muslim country Pakistan. The party renamed itself as the 'Indian Union Muslim League' and adopted a new constitution on 1 September 1951.

IUML is a major member of the opposition United Democratic Front, the INC-led pre-poll state level alliance in Kerala. No party other than the Muslim League has been able to win in Muslim-majority constituencies, particularly in Malappuram, and the successful candidate has consistently been a Muslim. By contrast, in constituencies where Muslims are not the majority and Hindus form the majority, Muslim candidates have won elections without any difficulty. This pattern has been criticised by some commentators as reflecting sectarian and non-secular political behaviour, regarded as a future threat to Indian politics or the nation’s stability. The party has always had a constant, albeit small, presence in the Indian Parliament. The party is a part of the INDIA in national level. The League first gained a ministry (Minister of State for External Affairs) in Indian Government in 2004.

The party currently has five members in Parliament – E. T. Mohammed Basheer, M. P. Abdussamad Samadani and Kani K. Navas in the Lok Sabha and P. V. Abdul Wahab and Adv. Haris Beeran in the Rajya Sabha – and fifteen members in Kerala State Legislative Assembly.

History

The first Muslim political agency in the region was the Kerala Muslim Majlis formed in 1931. It joined the federal setup of All-India Muslim League later.

After the partition of India in 1947, the All-India Muslim League was virtually disbanded. It was succeeded by the Indian segment of the Muslim League in the new Dominion of India (first session on 10 March 1948 and constitution passed on 1 September 1951). M. Muhammad Ismail, the then President of the Madras unit of the Muslim League was chosen as the Convener of the Indian segment of the party. The Travancore Muslim League (the States' Muslim League) was merged with the Malabar League in November 1956.

Indian Union Muslim League contests General Elections under the Indian Constitution. The party is normally represented by two members in the Indian Lower House (the Lok Sabha). B. Pocker, elected from Malappuram Constituency, was a member of the First Lower House (1952–57) from the Madras Muslim League. The party currently has four members in Parliament.

Apart from Kerala and West Bengal, the League had Legislative Assembly members in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharastra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam. In West Bengal, the League had won Assembly seats in the 1970s, and A. K. A. Hassanussaman was a member of the Ajoy Mukherjee cabinet.

Indian Union Muslim League first gained a ministry in Kerala Government as part of the Communist Party of India Marxist-led United Front in 1967. The party switched fronts in 1969 and formed an alliance with the Congress in 1976. It later became a chief constituent in a succession of Indian National Congress-led ministries.

Early years

  • First Council of the Indian segment of the Muslim League was held on 10 March 1948 at the south Indian city of Madras (now Chennai).
  • On 1 September 1951, the 'Indian Union Muslim League' came into being in Madras (constitution was passed).
  • B. Pocker Sahib, elected from Malappuram Constituency, was a member of the first Lok Sabha (1952–57).
  • K. M Seethi Sahib served as the Speaker of the Kerala Assembly from 1960 to 1961.

From the 1960s to the 80s

  • The League gained a ministry in Kerala Government in 1967 (C. H. Mohammed Koya and M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal).
  • The League oversaw the creation of the University of Calicut, the second university in Kerala, in 1968.
  • Contribution to local government – the League oversaw the creation of Malappuram District in 1969.
  • Death of M. Muhammad Ismail (1972) and Bafaqy Thangal (1973). Syed Ummer Bafaqy Thangal rebels against the leadership.

With the Congress Party

  • Muslim League formed an alliance with the Congress in 1976.
  • C. H. Mohammed Koya served as the Chief Minister of Kerala from 12 October to 1 December 1979.
  • Muslim League joined the Congress (Indira)-lead United Democratic Front in 1979/80.
  • The 'rebel' Muslim League formed 'All India Muslim League' and joined the Left Front in 1980.
  • C. H. Mohammed Koya and K. Avukaderkutty Naha served as Deputy Chief Ministers of Kerala in the 1980s.

In the 1990s

  • All India Muslim League (AIML) quit the Left Front and merged with the Muslim League in 1985.
  • Demolition of the Babri Masjid (1992). Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal made a passionate plea to all the Muslims in Kerala to remain calm. Kerala remained peaceful throughout.
  • Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait, then National President, rebelled and formed the Indian National League (INL) in 1994.
  • Minister of Education (E. T. Mohammad Basheer) decided to establish the University of Sanskrit (1993) in Kerala.

From the 2000s

  • Atal Bihari Vajpayee dispatched E. Ahamed to the United Nations (Geneva) to represent India (2004).
  • Mid-2000s witnessed the Manjeri (2004) and the Kuttippuram-Mankada (2006) defeats.
  • The League first gained a ministry (E. Ahamed) in Indian Government (Manmohan Singh Ministry) in 2004.
  • Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal died in 2009.
  • The League won a record 20 out of the contested 23 seats in the 2011 Assembly Elections.
  • The League remains in the Opposition for two consecutive terms (2016 and 2021)

National President of Indian Union Muslim League

No. Name Portrait Tenure Home State
1 M. Muhammed Ismail 10 March 1948 — 5 April 1972 Tamil Nadu
2 Bafaqy Thangal 1972 — 19 January 1973 Kerala
3 Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait 1973—1994 Karnataka
4 G. M. Banatwala 1994— 25 June 2008 Maharashtra
5 E. Ahamed 25 June 2008 — 1 February 2017 Kerala
6 K. M. Kader Mohideen 27 February 2017 — present Tamil Nadu

Ideology

The [Indian Union Muslim League] party...has shown strands of identity politics, but largely remained communitarian; it has at times been conservative, but never communal. It has furthered Muslim aspirations without antagonising any other segment—and hence has retained its centrality in the larger Kerala polity.

— Outlook

The distinctive feature of the [Indian Union] Muslim League in Kerala is that it strove to keep the [Muslim] community at the centre of the [Kerala] state's politics, unlike other Muslim political formations elsewhere in India that revelled in confessional isolationism. As a result, the Kerala Muslims emerged as probably the only community of that faith in India that achieved genuine political empowerment on the one hand and, on the other, lived out the promise of equal citizenship enshrined in the [Indian] Constitution.

— Outlook

If organising a religious community politically on the basis of antagonism to another is communalism, the IUML has never mobilised its cadre nor used its political and often administrative clout to create religious divides. On the contrary, whenever the state faced a communally sensitive situation, the party rose to the occasion and played a stellar role in dousing the flames....By practicing a brand of politics that could be termed communitarian rather than communal, the IUML succeeded in actualising the constitutional guarantee of equal citizenship for the Muslims in the state.

— The Indian Express

Composition

Designation Name
Chairman- Political Advisory Committee (PAC) Sadiq Ali Thangal (Kerala)
National President K. M. Kader Mohideen (Tamil Nadu)
Vice Presidents Iqbal Ahmed (Uttar Pradesh)
Dastagir Ibrahim Aga (Karnataka)
National General Secretary P. K. Kunhalikutty (Kerala)
National Organising Secretary E. T. Mohammed Basheer (Kerala)
National Treasurer P. V. Abdul Wahab (Kerala)
Secretaries Khorrum Anis Omer (Delhi)
M. P. Abdussamad Samadani (Kerala)
Jayanthi Rajan (Kerala)
S. Naim Akthar (Bihar)
Siraj Ebrahim Sait (Karnataka)
Assistant Secretaries Abdul Basith (Tamil Nadu)
Kausar Hayat Khan (Uttar Pradesh)

Organizational structure

  • Youth Wing: Muslim Youth League (the Youth League) [1]
    • National President: Asif Ansari (New Delhi)
    • National Secretary: Najma Thabsheera (Kerala)
    • national Council Secretary: Faisal Babu (Kerala)
    • National vice President Mufeeda Thesni (Kerala)
    • National Secretary: Ch. Ajrudin Advocate (Haryana)
    • Kerala State President: Sayyid Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal
    • Kerala State secretary: Fathima Thahiliya
    • Kerala State General Secretary: P. K. Firoz
  • Students' Wing: Muslim Students Federation (M. S. F.)
    • National President: P.V. Ahamed Saju
    • National General Secretary: S. H. Muhammed Arshad
  • Scheduled Caste Wing: Indian Union Dalit League
  • Women's Political Wing: Haritha and Muslim Women's League
  • Trade Union Organization (Kerala): Swatantra Thozhilali Union (S.T.U)
  • Peasants' Union (Kerala): Swathanthra Karshaka Sangam (Independent Peasants Union)
  • Advocates: Lawyers Forum
  • Expatriates: Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (K. M. C. C.)

Kerala Legislative Assembly

Source: http://www.ceo.kerala.gov.in/electionhistory.html Archived 11 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine

Early years (1957–1979/80)

Election Seats Vote% Government/Opposition Ministers Sources
Won (Contested)
1957 8 (19)

As independents

4.72 Opposition (to Namboodiripad Ministry)

1957–59

1960 11 (12) 5.0 Government (Pattom Ministry)

1960–62

  • Formally left the coalition in 1961 as an abstaining Opposition.
Excluded from the Pattom Ministry
Abstaining Opposition (to Shankar Ministry)

1962–64

1965 6 (16) 3.71 Inconclusive (no government formed)
1967 14 (15) 6.75 Government (Namboodiripad Ministry)

1967–69

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya
  • M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal (succeeded by K. Avukaderkutty Naha)
Government (Achutha Menon Ministry)

1969–70

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya
  • K. Avukaderkutty Naha
1970 11 (20) 7.7 Government (Achutha Menon Ministry)

1970–77

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by Chakkeeri Ahamed Kutty)
  • K. Avukaderkutty Naha
1977 13 (16) 6.65 Government (Karunakaran Ministry)

1977

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya
  • K. Avukaderkutty Naha
Government (Antony Ministry)

1977–78

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya (replaced in-between by U. A. Beeran)
  • K. Avukaderkutty Naha
Government (PKV Ministry)

1978–79

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya
  • K. Avukaderkutty Naha
Government (Koya Ministry)

1979

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya

With the United Democratic Front (1979/80–present)

Election Seats Vote % Government/Opposition Ministers
Won (Contested)
1980 14 (21) 7.18 Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry)

1980–81

Government (Karunakaran Ministry)

1981–82

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya
1982 14 (18) 6.17 Government (Karunakaran Ministry)

1982–87

  • C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by K. Avukaderkutty Naha)
  • U. A. Beeran
  • E. Ahamed
1987 15 (23) 7.73 Opposition

(to Nayanar Ministry)

1987–91

1991 19 (22) 7.37 Government

(Karunakaran Ministry)

1991–95

  • P. K. Kunhalikutty
  • E. T. Mohammad Basheer
  • P. K. K .Bava
  • C.T. Ahammed Ali
Government

(Antony Ministry)

1995–96

  • C. T. Ahammed Ali
  • P. K. K. Bava
  • P. K. Kunhalikutty
  • E. T. Mohammad Basheer
1996 13 (23) 7.19 Opposition

(to Nayanar Ministry)

1996–2001

2001 16 (21) 7.59 Government

(Antony Ministry)

2001–2004

  • P. K. Kunhalikutty
  • Nalakath Sooppy
  • Cherkalam Abdullah
  • M. K. Muneer
Government

(Chandy Ministry)

2004–2006

  • P. K. Kunhalikutty (replaced by V. K. Ebrahim Kunju)
  • E. T. Mohammad Basheer
  • M. K. Muneer
  • Kutty Ahammed Kutty
2006 7 (21) 7.30 Opposition

(to Achuthanandan Ministry)

2006–11

2011 20 (23) 7.92 Government

(Chandy Ministry)

2011–16

  • P. K. Kunhalikutty
  • P. K. Abdu Rabb
  • M. K. Muneer
  • V. K. Ebrahim Kunju
  • Manjalamkuzhi Ali
2016 18 (23) 7.40 Opposition

(to Vijayan Ministry)

2016–2021

2021 15 (25) 8.27 Opposition

(to Vijayan Ministry)

Incumbent

Current members

Legislative Constituency Member
Kerala
Kasaragod
Manjeshwaram A. K. M. Ashraf
Kasaragod N. A. Nellikkunnu
Kozhikode
Koduvally M. K. Muneer
Malappuram
Kondotty T. V. Ibrahim
Eranad P. K. Basheer
Manjeri U. A. Latheef
Perinthalmanna

Najeeb Kanthapuram

Mankada Manjalamkuzhi Ali
Malappuram P. Ubaidulla
Vengara P. K. Kunhalikutty
Vallikkunnu P. Abdul Hameed
Tirurangadi K. P. A. Majeed
Tirur Kurukkoli Moideen
Kottakkal K. K. Abid Hussain Thangal
Palakkad
Mannarkkad N. Samsudheen

Electoral performance

Loksabha election results in Kerala
Election Year Alliance Seats contested Seats won Total Votes Percentage of votes +/- Vote
2024 UDF 2
2 / 20
1,199,839 6.07% 0.59%
2019 UDF 2
2 / 20
1,111,697 5.48% 0.94%
2014 UDF 2
2 / 20
816,226 4.54% 0.54%
2009 UDF 2
2 / 20
813,741 5.07% 0.21%
2004 UDF 2
1 / 20
733,228 4.86% 0.44%
1999 UDF 2
2 / 20
810,135 5.30% 0.29%
1998 UDF 2
2 / 20
745,070 5.01% 0.07%
1996 UDF 2
2 / 20
745,070 5.08% 0.06%
1991 UDF 2
2 / 20
715,222 5.02% 0.21%
1989 UDF 2
2 / 20
780,322 5.23% 0.06%
1984 UDF 2
2 / 20
575,754 5.29% 0.27%
1980 UDF 2
2 / 20
454,235 5.60% 0.40%
1977 UDF 2
2 / 20
533,726 6.0% 0.38%
1971 LDF 2
2 / 19
366,702 5.62% 0.98%
1967 LDF 2
2 / 19
413,868 6.6% 2.11%
1962 LDF 3
2 / 18
248,038 4.49% 2.84%
1957 1
1 / 18
99,777 1.65% New
Kerala Legislative Assembly election results
Election Year Alliance Seats contested Seats won Total Votes Percentage of votes +/- Vote
2021 UDF 25
15 / 140
1,723,593 8.27% 0.87%
2016 UDF 23
18 / 140
1,496,864 7.4% 0.52%
2011 UDF 23
20 / 140
1,383,670 7.92% 0.62%
2006 UDF 21
7 / 140
1,135,098 7.30% 0.70%
2001 UDF 23
16 / 140
1,259,572 8.00% 0.81%
1996 UDF 22
13 / 140
1,025,556 7.19% 0.18%
1991 UDF 22
19 / 140
1,044,582 7.37% 0.36%
1987 UDF 23
15 / 140
985,011 7.73% 1.56%
1982 UDF 18
14 / 140
590,255 6.17% 1.01%
1980 UDF 21
14 / 140
684,910 7.18% 0.52%
1977 UDF 16
13 / 140
584,642 6.66% 0.90%
1970 LDF 20
11 / 133
569,220 7.56% 0.81%
1967 LDF 15
14 / 133
424,159 6.75% 2.92%
1965 16
6 / 133
242,529 3.83% 1.13%
1960 12
11 / 126
401,925 4.96% New
1957 19
8 / 126
4.72%

List of Union Ministers

No. Photo Portfolio Name
(Lifespan)
Assumed office Left office Duration Constituency
(House)
Prime Minister
1 Minister of External Affairs
(MoS)
E. Ahamed
(1938–2017)
23 May
2004
22 May
2009
4 years, 364 days Ponnani
(Lok Sabha)
Manmohan Singh
Minister of Railways
(MoS)
28 May
2009
19 January
2011
1 year, 236 days Malappuram
(Lok Sabha)
Minister of External Affairs
(MoS)
19 January
2011
26 May
2014
3 years, 127 days
Minister of Human Resource Development
(MoS)
12 July
2011
28 October
2012
1 year, 108 days

Members of Parliament

Lok Sabha Members

Source: Loksabha
Election Lok sabha Member Constituency
1951 1st Lok Sabha B. Pocker Malappuram
1957 2nd Lok Sabha B. Pocker Manjeri
1962 3rd Lok Sabha C. H. Mohammed Koya Kozhikode
M. Muhammad Ismail Manjeri
1967 4th Lok Sabha M. Muhammad Ismail Manjeri
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Kozhikode
S. M. Muhammed Sheriff Ramananthapuram
1971 5th Lok Sabha M. Muhammad Ismail Manjeri
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Kozhikode
S. M. Muhammed Sheriff Periyakulam
Abu Taleb Chowdhury Murshidabad
1977 6th Lok Sabha G. M. Banatwalla Ponnani
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Manjeri
1980 7th Lok Sabha G. M. Banatwalla Ponnani
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Manjeri
A. K. A. Abdul Samad Vellore
1984 8th Lok Sabha G. M. Banatwalla Ponnani
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Manjeri
1989 9th Lok Sabha G. M. Banatwalla Ponnani
Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Manjeri
A. K. A. Abdul Samad Vellore
1991 10th Lok Sabha Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Ponnani
E. Ahamed Manjeri
1996, 1998, 1999 11, 12, 13th Lok Sabha G. M. Banatwalla Ponnani
E. Ahamed Manjeri
2004 14th Lok Sabha E. Ahamed Ponnani
K.M. Kader Mohideen Vellore
2009 15th Lok Sabha E. Ahamed Malappuram
E. T. Mohammed Basheer Ponnani
Abdul Rahman Vellore
2014 16th Lok Sabha E. Ahamed and

P. K. Kunhalikutty

Malappuram
E. T. Mohammed Basheer Ponnani
2019 17th Lok Sabha P. K. Kunhalikutty and

M. P. Abdussamad Samadani

Malappuram
E. T. Mohammed Basheer Ponnani
K. Navas Kani Ramananthapuram
2024 18th Lok Sabha E. T. Mohammed Basheer Malappuram
M. P. Abdussamad Samadani Ponnani
K. Navas Kani Ramananthapuram

Rajya Sabha Members

Source: Rajyasabha
State Member Year
Madras M. Muhammad Ismail 1952–58
Tamil Nadu A. K. A. Abdul Samad 1964–70
S. A. Khwaja Mohideen 1968–74
A. K. A. Abdul Samad 1970–76
A. K. Refaye 1972–78
S. A. Khwaja Mohideen 1974–80
Kerala Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait 1960–66
Abdulla Koya 1967–73

1974–98

Hamid Ali Schamnad 1970–79
Abdussamad Samadani 1994–2006
Korambayil Ahammed 1998–03
P. V. Abdul Wahab 2004–10

2015–present

Adv.Haris Beeran 2024–present

Controversies

The party when in control of the local self-government department, issued a circular which legalised marriage for Muslim women between ages of 16 and 18 and Muslim men below age 21.The circular was later amended after backlash.

The Muslim League has opposed the Supreme Court of India verdict regarding entry of adult women to Sabarimala temple. It is also at odds with several LGBTQ rulings from the Supreme Court. The party also supports the primacy of Muslim Personal Law among Indian Muslims.

IUML opposes implementing gender neutrality and comprehensive sex education in school curriculum saying that it promotes homosexuality, leads to sexual anarchy and is part of an atheist-liberal conspiracy to destroy religious values.

An article by the current president of the Muslim League, on Hagia Sophia, seemed to support the views of political Islam.

Muslim League generally presents itself as a conservative political party in Kerala. In 2021, ten female leaders from the disbanded Haritha state committee lodged a police complaint against the state president of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) and the Malappuram district general secretary, accusing them of making sexual remarks.

In July 2023, following the Manipur violence where a woman was paraded naked in public, members of the Muslim League raised anti Hindu slogans in Kanhangad, located in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. The following day, Kerala Police arrested five of those members. Upon criticism over the incident, the State President of IUML Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal responded on 28 July, saying no one has the right to hurt the sentiments and faith of others.

See also

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about Indian Union Muslim League, What is Indian Union Muslim League? What does Indian Union Muslim League mean?