A controversy has erupted in Kerala as the Muslim community objected to the sale of pork by the leftist student organization, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) to raise funds for relief efforts in Wayanad. Notably, 400 people died in Wayanad following a landslide and hundreds of others were displaced. To collect funds for relief work, DYFI announced that it would sell pork under the “Pork Challenge” in the Rajapuram area of Kasaragod on 10th August. A similar fundraising event took place on 18th August in Kothamangalam.
Muslims have objected to the sale of pork saying it has hurt their religious sentiments. DYFI stated that the funds raised from the sale of this pork would be used to aid victims of the Wayanad landslide disaster. The organisation has announced that it will continue to sell pork across Kerala to raise money. The funds will be used to rebuild 25 houses in Wayanad that were destroyed due to a landslide. Other items including 7,000 litres of milk have been sold to raise funds.
The Islamic fundamentalists in Kerala expressed their dismay over DYFI’s decision to continue the sale. Muslim clerics argued that selling pork is an offence to the religious sentiments of the Muslim community. A cleric from a Sunni organization remarked that some survivors of the Wayanad tragedy do not consume pork, making this act an insult to them.
Sunni cleric Nasar Faizi Koodathai stated that most of the families surviving in Wayanad are Muslim, and as Muslims, they are forbidden from eating pork. He criticized DYFI for raising funds by selling pork despite knowing this. Another Cleric Ziauddin Faizi wrote, “Muslims are not prohibited from accepting help from anyone who earns through haram or halal means. This rule applies to everyone, including an alcohol shop owner, a bank manager, or a pork trader.”
He further added, “But the question here is whether it is necessary to organize a haram challenge to help the poor. Will we see challenges like usury challenge, prostitution challenge, alcohol challenge, and theft challenge in the future?” However, later he withdrew his statement.
Responding to the criticism, Kerala government minister KT Jaleel criticised the fundamentalists and said, “Interest is also haram for Muslims. But why don’t these opponents of pork say that donations from banks are haram? Isn’t using money earned from interest a bigger sin than eating pork? Alcohol is prohibited for Muslims. But for Christians and Hindus, offering alcohol as part of their faith is not forbidden. These people do not say that alcoholics will not go to heaven.”
The landslide in Wayanad left hundreds of families displaced. 400 people died in the incident. The central government and the state government are making efforts to bring life back on track in Wayanad.
