Radical Muslim group seeks Achuthanandan's apology

New Delhi (IANS)- Radical Islamic outfit, Popular Front of India (PFI) Friday asked Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to apologise for his statement that the outfit is aiming to convert the state to a Muslim dominated one using "money and marriages".

The outfit, whose activists have been accused of chopping off a hand of a college professor for allegedly making derogatory references to Prophet Mohammed, warned that such a statement by the chief minister would "only endanger communal harmony existing in the state".

"We urge Achuthanandan to withdraw the allegations and apologise before the people of Kerala," PFI chairman E.M. Abdul Rahiman told reporters here. He rejected the allegation that the PFI was trying to "establish an Islamic state".

Achuthanandan had stated last week here that the PFI is aiming to convert Kerala into a Muslim majority state in the next 20 years.

Achuthanandan's statement has given "legitimacy to the propaganda that a conversion project called 'Love Jihad', is working in the country to lure youth to Islamic religion," Rahiman said.

"The CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader's charge that Popular Front was trying to multiply the number of Muslims by influencing youth and converting them by giving money and women itself is a affront to the self respecting youth of other religions," he said.

The outfit also criticised other CPI-M leaders for justifying Achuthanandan's statement, saying that the party has "justified his current statements against Muslims obviously as a futile attempt to regain the already eroded popular support".