Eisspeedway

M. K. Muneer

Dr. M. K. Muneer
Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayath Affairs,
Government of Kerala
In office
23 May 2011 – 20 May 2016
Preceded byPaloli Mohammed Kutty
Succeeded byK. T. Jaleel
Deputy Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office
22 April 2017 – 7 May 2021
LeaderRamesh Chennithala
Preceded byP. K. Kunhalikutty
Succeeded byP. K. Kunhalikutty
Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
24 May 2021
Preceded byKarat Razak
ConstituencyKoduvally
In office
1 June 2011 – 3 May 2021
Preceded byconstituency created
Succeeded byAhamed Devarkovil
ConstituencyKozhikode South
In office
1996–2006
Preceded byYounus Kunhu
Succeeded byM. Ummer
ConstituencyMalappuram
Minister For Public Works Department,
Government of Kerala
In office
26 May 2001 – 12 May 2006
Preceded byP. J. Joseph
Succeeded byP. J. Joseph
Personal details
Born (1962-08-26) 26 August 1962 (age 62)
Kozhikode, Kerala, India
NationalityIndia Indian
Political partyIndian Union Muslim League
SpouseNafeesa Vineetha
ChildrenTwo sons and one daughter
ResidenceKozhikode

M. K. Muneer is an Indian politician, physician, social worker, singer, poet and author from Kerala.[1][2] He was the Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayat in the last (May 2011 – May 2016) UDF Ministry, headed by Oommen Chandy and represented the Kozhikode South constituency in the legislative assembly. He was also the Minister for Public Works in A K Antony Ministry 3.[3] Muneer is a State secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League and[4] was the Chairman of the Malayalam TV channel Indiavision. He has written ghazals and books including Fascism and the Sangh Parivar.[5] He is a qualified medical doctor and patron of MCC-THAS-Haemophilia Society.[6]

Muneer is the only son amongst the three children of C. H. Mohammed Koya,[3] veteran Muslim league politician and former Chief Minister of Kerala and Amina. In March 2017 he was elected as Deputy opposition leader in Kerala Legislative Assembly. He did his MBBS in a private medical college in Karnataka.[7] With a special order by the Government of Kerala post his father's death, he was allowed a transfer to Government Medical College, Kozhikode and eventually completed his course from there.[8] This became a controversy after he questioned the state aid given to a leader from Nationalist Congress Party.[7]

Minister in different ministries

No. Head of the Ministry Period Portfolio
1 A. K. Antony 2001-04 public work dept
2 Oommen Chandy 2004-06 public work dept
3 Oommen Chandy 2011-16 panchyath, social welfare

Kerala Legislative Assembly election, 2021

In the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, he contested from Koduvally. He defeated Karat Razack by a margin of 6344 votes.[9]

2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election : Kozhikode South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
IUML M. K. Muneer 49,863 43.13%
INL A. P. Abdul Vahab 43,536 37.66%
BDJS Satheesh Kuttiyil 19,146 16.56%
NOTA None of the above 788 0.68%
SDPI U. K. Deysi Balasubrahmanyan 593 0.51%
BSP Kamala Pavithran 480 0.42%
Independent A. P. Abdul Vahab 287 0.25%
Independent A. K. Sajan 227 0.20%
Independent Abdul Sathar 211 0.18%
Independent Muneer Davari 190 0.16%
Independent Premanand T. 166 0.14%
Independent Abdul Muneer 130 0.11%
Margin of victory 6,327 5.47%
Turnout 1,15,617 77.57%
IUML hold Swing

Controversies

Muneer put a pro-LGBTQ post in Facebook during the pride month in 2021, only to be withdrawn later following severe criticism from party members.[10] Once popular as the progressive face of IUML, Muneer later became a staunch supporter of patriarchal and conservative form of Islam.[11] His strange argument that gender neutrality will make POCSO Act redundant stirred up a massive political controversy.[12][13] More recently, he is known for delivering negative speeches against the LGBT+ community including a controversial article published in Suprabhatam daily where he accused homosexuals of being violent and demanding rights for child sex abuse.[14] Despite being a former Minister who implemented transgender policy in Kerala; for the first time in an Indian state, Muneer stirred controversy by questioning the gender of the first trans man in India who gave birth to a baby.[15][16]

He also described the 7 October attacks by Hamas as 'resistance' at an IUML rally after Shashi Tharoor called it an act of terrorism.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Criticised for supporting homosexuality; Muneer withdraws post congratulating LGBT community".
  2. ^ "MK Muneer's weird argument on gender neutrality triggers row".
  3. ^ a b "Dr. M.K. Muneer To Host Amrita TV's Sangeetha Samagamam | Kerala Television". Keralatv.in. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Kerala / Kannur News : 'CPI(M) pursuing dangerous politics'". The Hindu. 29 March 2009. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  5. ^ Irfan (21 September 2007). "CC April 2008". Sabrang.com. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  6. ^ "| MCC-THAS-Hemophilia Society |". Pedblood.org. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  7. ^ a b "മുഖം രക്ഷിയ്ക്കാന്‍ പുതിയ വാദവുമായി കെ എം ഷാജി: വെട്ടിലായത് കൂടെയിരുന്ന എം കെ മുനീര്‍". Deshabhimani (in Malayalam). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  8. ^ Web Desk. "കള്ളം പറയലാണോ രാഷ്ട്രീയം? അതും ഈ മരണകാലത്ത്? എ.എ റഹിം". MediaOne News | Latest Malayalam News from MediaOne Tv (in Malayalam). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  9. ^ "2021 Koduvally Constituency Assembly Election Results". Election commission of India.
  10. ^ "Criticised for supporting homosexuality; M K Muneer withdraws post congratulating LGBT community". Kerala Kaumudi.
  11. ^ "IUML's new voice of conservatism". The New Indian Express.
  12. ^ "Gender neutrality will render POCSO Act redundant: M. K. Muneer". New Indian Express.
  13. ^ "M K Muneer's weird argument on gender neutrality triggers row". Mathrubhumi.
  14. ^ "Gender neutrality: M. K. Muneer said that he will stand with morality". Media One.
  15. ^ "Kerala becomes first state to introduce policy for transgenders". NDTV.
  16. ^ "IUML leader MK Muneer makes hate comment on Kerala trans man who gave birth". The News Minute.
  17. ^ "At IUML rally, Shashi Tharoor calls Hamas action 'terrorist attack', MK Muneer terms it 'resistance'". Mathrubhumi English.