Chennai: In a strong message that no dissidence would be tolerated, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national committee has removed 'Haritha' leader K Fathima Thahiliya from the post of Muslim Students Federation (MSF) national vice-president, following her showdown with the party state leadership over the MSF-Haritha standoff.

According to communique issued by the IUML national leadership here on Monday, the action was taken as per the recommendation of the Muslim League Kerala State committee. The committee found that there was severe indiscipline on the part of Fathima.

Fathima had strongly criticised the IUML leadership's disciplinary action against Haritha after a group of its members petitioned the State Women's Commission regarding the alleged derogatory remarks made against women members by some of the male leaders.

In a statement issued in Chennai on Monday, IUML national president K M Khader Mohideen said it has decided to remove Thahiliya from the post of national vice president of MSF for "grave indiscipline" as per the recommendation of the party's Kerala state committee.

Throwing her weight behind the women who stuck to their demand for action against erring male leaders, Thahiliya had said they did not get "natural justice".

She had said the Haritha activists had petitioned the State Women's Commission as the party leadership did not take any action against the male leaders who used derogatory language at them.

She had also alleged that the women leaders, including herself, were facing severe character assassination on social media platforms for speaking up against the alleged vulgar remarks.

Though P K Navas, the state president of MSF, who is facing charges of using derogatory remarks against women members, had expressed regret over the incident as per the party's directive, the women activists took a firm stand that they would withdraw the petition only after proper disciplinary action was taken against the leaders.

Mudslinging continues

Meanwhile, more pieces of evidence are coming to the fore to show that the Muslim League was divided over the issues related to Haritha.

The latest was the audio clip, containing the voice of MSF state vice-president P P Shaijal, in which he was admitting that there has been a division in the party over the issue.

Shaijal, however, told the media that those who were accused of misbehaving with the Haritha leaders were behind the leaking of the audio tape now, and said that the truth would ultimately win.

It is learnt that the minutes of the MSF state committee meeting in which Haritha leaders were verbally insulted would be handed over to the police by those supporting Haritha leaders.

The IUML Kerala leadership had recently dissolved the state committee of Haritha for refusing to obey its demand to withdraw the complaint against male leaders, who allegedly used derogatory language against them during a state committee meeting held here few months ago.

The party also appointed a new state committee of Haritha on September 12.