MALAPPURAM: MLA KT Jaleel courted controversy again, this time by terming Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as ‘Azad Kashmir’ (Liberated Kashmir) and calling the area comprising Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as ‘India-controlled Kashmir’.
While BJP state chief K Surendran and Congress leader K P Noushad Ali demanded the Tavanur MLA’s resignation for allegedly acting against the nation’s interests. In a Facebook post on Friday, the former minister, while talking about his visit to Kashmir, criticised the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi for the ‘miserable’ life of people there. “There are soldiers carrying guns everywhere. It seems Kashmiris have forgotten to laugh,” Jaleel wrote.
Can’t expect better views from ex-SIMI leader, says Surendran
The people’s anger with the second Modi regime for dividing Kashmir into three is evident in their expression, Jaleel said. He said the part of Kashmir that was acceded to Pakistan came to be known as ‘Azad Kashmir’. Former diplomat TP Sreenivasan told TNIE that Jaleel used the terminologies that Pakistan uses.
“Their use by a public representative is a serious offence,” he said. BJP state president K Surendran said Jaleel’s Facebook post was against the interests of India and the Army. He should be punished for sedition. We can’t expect better views on India from a former SIMI leader,” Surendran said, referring to Jaleel’s previous ties to Students’ Islamic Movement of India, a banned outfit. Congress leader K P Noushad Ali sought to know the CPM’s stand on the matter.
JALEEL’S POST NOTHING LESS THAN TREASON: BJP
T’Puram: BJP has termed Jaleel’s Facebook post on Kashmir as “nothing less than treason”. “It is a blatant anti-national statement. He should be brought before law and also asked to resign as MLA,” Union Minister and senior BJP leader V Murlaeedharan said in Kochi. The ruling CPM, under whose support the former minister was elected MLA for the second time, chose not to react to the MLA’s controversial remarks. “I have not read his FB post and will react after going through it,” CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters.