Promote peace, secularism: Chandy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Yathra conducted by Kanthapuram A P Aboobaker Musaliyar culminated in grand style here on Saturday.The valedictory function of the 17-day-long yathra was inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. In his inaugural speech, Chandy said that what the country wants today was not violence but peace and secularism. He said that the hallmark of Kerala Yathra was that it conveyed the voice of humanism to the society. Chandy said that Kerala was noted for humanism and secularism it practises. The main characteristics of democracy is that it allows  propagation of ideologies. Healthy ideological debates strengthen democracy. It is in this context the Kerala Yathra organised by Kanthapuram Aboobaker Musliyar is relevant, he said. Delivering his message to the huge mass that gathered at the venue, Samastha Kerala Jameyathul Ulema general secretary Kanthapuram Aboobaker Musliyar said that Kerala Yathra was conducted to reminisce the values of renaissance and social conditions that had shaped the lives of Keralites. It was also examined during the yathra whether local collaborations on the matters of development can be structured irrespective of political and religious affiliations. “A big society is there which wants to stick to secular way of life and maintain communal harmony. Our hope is on such societies,” he said. He also razed arguments that the yathra was conducted as a dry run to the formation of a political party. He later read out the pledge of humanism to the gathering.  KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said that the yathra became a historical event and added that the state had received positive vibes from the yathra. CPM state committee member M Vijayakumar said that the message spread by the yathra was the need of the hour. Sayyed Abdul Rahman Al Bukhary Thangal presided over the function. Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed, Transport Minister V S Sivakumar, K E Ismail MP, MLAs K Muraleedharan, Palode Ravi, Varkala Kahar; Major Archbishop Baselios Mar Clemis and Santhigiri Ashram organising secretary Gururatnam Jnana Thapaswy also spoke on the occasion.Earlier, the Sunni youth and students wings took out a rally from East Fort to Chandrasekharan Nair stadium, the venue of the programme.