In a significant shift, CPI(M) leader and Kozhikode district secretary P Mohanan clarified on Sunday that neither he nor his party had made any statements against the Multi-Exercise Combination (MEC 7), a fitness initiative based in Kerala’s Malabar region.

Speaking to the media in Kozhikode, Mohanan emphasized that MEC 7 was launched as a preventive measure against lifestyle diseases and should not be opposed. However, he urged vigilance against the misuse of such platforms.

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“There have been instances where organizations like Jamaat-e-Islami, SDPI, Sangh Parivar, and other communal forces infiltrate and use such gatherings for their agendas. The public must remain cautious,” he said. “All we said was that vigilance is necessary. There is no need to interpret this beyond that,” he added.

This clarification comes after Mohanan previously alleged that religious fundamentalist groups were using MEC 7 as a front for extremist activities.

Speaking at a CPI(M) area conference in Taliparamba last month, he claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami, with support from Popular Front of India (PFI) workers, was organizing physical exercises under the guise of MEC 7 to promote extremist agendas.

Concerns over MEC 7 have also been raised by Sunni leaders, with Muhammadali Kinalur, district secretary of the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), expressing apprehensions about its objectives.

He compared MEC 7 to earlier initiatives by the National Development Front (NDF), which, he alleged, had used martial arts and fitness programs to attract youth under a guise of communal intentions.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and Palakkad MP VK Sreekandan defended MEC 7, describing it as a beneficial fitness program.

Speaking at the MEC 7 regional event in Pattambi, he stated, “This is a good initiative that promotes fitness without any caste, religious, or political bias. Such programs should be implemented nationwide.”

In light of these conflicting views, Central Intelligence agencies have reportedly begun investigating MEC 7 following allegations that groups like SDPI, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) are involved in its operations.

The controversy surrounding MEC 7 underscores the growing politicization of community initiatives in Kerala, raising questions about the balance between public health programs and potential misuse for ulterior motives.