At the centre of an ongoing controversy in Kerala is MEC-7, a physical exercise club with several branches in north Kerala. The row started at a Taliparamba area committee conference of the ruling CPI(M), where the party’s Kozhikode district secretary P Mohanan alleged that MEC-7 had links to Jamaat-e-Islami and the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). This was taken up in the days that followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulma (AP Sunnis).
BJP state president K Surendran alleged that there are anti-national forces behind MEC-7, and questioned why the state government did not report the group to the Union government. Meanwhile, Samastha warned Sunni followers against joining the club, alleging that it had links to Jamaat-e-Islami. Other Hindu groups also made similar allegations, following which the police special branch initiated investigation into the club, reports say.
Responding to the controversy, MEC-7 denied all the allegations against them, stating that their only focus is on combating lifestyle diseases.
‘MEC-7 is open for all’
Founded in 2012 by Salahudheen P, an ex-military officer, Multi-Exercise Combination, widely known as MEC-7, is a 21-25 minute regimen of seven forms of exercise, including yoga and meditation. For the initial ten years, it was limited to one group in Kondotty. Later, it expanded to various parts of Kerala.
Contrary to the perception created by the ongoing controversy that it is only for Muslims, MEC-7 is open for any interested person, irrespective of religion or gender, members of the club told TNM. Kozhikode-native SP Rasheed said, “People from all backgrounds attend the programme, including workers of CPI(M) and other political parties, and members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). We do not discuss politics, our conversations are solely related to health.”
Rasheed joined MEC-7 nine months ago and is currently training others in Cheruvannur, where he lives. "You can join MEC-7 if you want to take care of your health. Nobody will pressure you to come. If you find it difficult, you can stop attending. Ultimately, it’s your choice whether you want a healthy life or not,” he said, adding that the programme neither involves an admission process, nor levies any fees from participants.
“After a few months of training, I found it easy and very beneficial. So, I started a group near my locality in Kozhikode. Around 100 participants attend the exercise sessions with me now,” he added.
‘CPI(M) is prejudiced against Muslims’
CPI(M) faced severe backlash over Mohanan’s statements. The criticism faced by the party also included the allegation that by airing CPI(M)'s prejudiced view of Muslim gatherings, it aided the agenda of Sangh Parivar organisations.
Abhin Varkey, state vice president of Youth Congress, questioned why the exercise club came under scrutiny. “Shakhas of the RSS operate in the state without issue. But CPI(M)’s concern is over an exercise centre that has attendees of different castes and religions,” he said. Speaking to the media on December 17 after a visit to an MEC-7 group in Malappuram, Abhin called the ongoing controversy an unnecessary one.
Two days before that, on December 15, Congress’ Palakkad MP VK Sreekandan inaugurated the Pattambi group of MEC-7 and expressed support.
Sathar Panthaloor, state vice president of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation, criticised Mohanan’s statement. He said that the practice of viewing Muslim gatherings, or any gathering that includes Muslims, in a suspicious lens is unacceptable.
Muslim leader quits CPI(M), joins Congress
In protest against Mohanan’s statement that “cast suspicion on minorities”, CPI(M) Naduvannur branch secretary Akbar Ali quit the party and joined Congress. Akbar was also a former leader of the Student Federation of Indian (SFI), the student wing of CPI(M).
Following the backlash, Mohanan withdrew his earlier statement and said that CPI(M) does not oppose MEC-7. "There are groups that spread religious hatred, including Jamaat-e-Islami, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), and the Sangh Parivar. These organisations infiltrate gatherings like [MEC-7] to promote their communal agenda. The public should remain vigilant about this. That was my main point," he told the media on December 15.
Samastha also withdrew their statement, claiming that they did not intend to target any specific religious group. Speaking to the media, Samastha leader Abdul Hakkim Azhari stated that the organisation had only opposed the “vulgar display of women’s bodies”.
Reacting to Mohanan withdrawing his statement, BJP’s Surendran said that the CPI(M) changed its stance because it “feared religious extremists”. He reiterated his stand that the issue raised by Mohanan is serious and called for an investigation.