<p>The row over the 'love and narcotic jihad' remarks of a bishop in Kerala aggravated further with a note of the ruling CPM on extremism in the state and the statement of a minister calling the bishop 'a scholar' and his critics 'extremists'.</p>.<p>A note prepared by the CPM as part of the ongoing party conferences stated that attempts were being made to lure women in professional colleges to terrorism. It added that extremist forces were infiltrating mainstream Muslim outfits to create unrest in Kerala. State cooperation minister and CPM leader V N Vasavan called on the Pala bishop and told the media that the bishop was a scholar and those opposing him were extremists.</p>.<p>Muslim outfits and the opposition Congress are accusing the Left Front government of making the issue that already snowballed into a communally sensitive row, worse.</p>.<p>Much to the embarrassment of the ruling Left government, Congress leaders in Kerala including KPCC President and MP K Sudhakaran called on various religious heads for conciliatory talks since the government "failed to take up responsibility".</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/narcotic-jihad-row-congress-to-call-meeting-of-religious-leaders-1032119.html" target="_blank">Read | Narcotic jihad row: Congress to call meeting of religious leaders</a></strong></p>.<p>The remarks of Bishop of Pala Joseph Kallarangatt that jihadis were trying to destroy non-Muslims through 'love jihad' and 'narcotic jihad' triggered the row. Though Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as the opposition parties initially flayed the bishop's observations, political parties later toned down their objections and maintained a dilly-dallying stand, probably due to concerns over minority vote banks.</p>.<p>The Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a supreme body of Islamic scholars of Kerala, stated on Sunday that the government should not back statements that trigger communal sentiments. Samastha leader Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal said that religious heads should keep from statements that could hurt religious sentiments.</p>.<p>All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama general secretary Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar demanded that the bishop withdraw his statement. Kottayam Taluk Mahallu Muslim Coordination Committee also strongly objected to minister Vasavan's remarks.</p>
<p>The row over the 'love and narcotic jihad' remarks of a bishop in Kerala aggravated further with a note of the ruling CPM on extremism in the state and the statement of a minister calling the bishop 'a scholar' and his critics 'extremists'.</p>.<p>A note prepared by the CPM as part of the ongoing party conferences stated that attempts were being made to lure women in professional colleges to terrorism. It added that extremist forces were infiltrating mainstream Muslim outfits to create unrest in Kerala. State cooperation minister and CPM leader V N Vasavan called on the Pala bishop and told the media that the bishop was a scholar and those opposing him were extremists.</p>.<p>Muslim outfits and the opposition Congress are accusing the Left Front government of making the issue that already snowballed into a communally sensitive row, worse.</p>.<p>Much to the embarrassment of the ruling Left government, Congress leaders in Kerala including KPCC President and MP K Sudhakaran called on various religious heads for conciliatory talks since the government "failed to take up responsibility".</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/narcotic-jihad-row-congress-to-call-meeting-of-religious-leaders-1032119.html" target="_blank">Read | Narcotic jihad row: Congress to call meeting of religious leaders</a></strong></p>.<p>The remarks of Bishop of Pala Joseph Kallarangatt that jihadis were trying to destroy non-Muslims through 'love jihad' and 'narcotic jihad' triggered the row. Though Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as the opposition parties initially flayed the bishop's observations, political parties later toned down their objections and maintained a dilly-dallying stand, probably due to concerns over minority vote banks.</p>.<p>The Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a supreme body of Islamic scholars of Kerala, stated on Sunday that the government should not back statements that trigger communal sentiments. Samastha leader Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal said that religious heads should keep from statements that could hurt religious sentiments.</p>.<p>All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama general secretary Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar demanded that the bishop withdraw his statement. Kottayam Taluk Mahallu Muslim Coordination Committee also strongly objected to minister Vasavan's remarks.</p>
