MALAPPURAM: IUML state general secretary K P A Majeed has slammed LSG Minister K T Jaleel over alleged attempts to create communal polarisation to protect the CPM workers, who purportedly resorted to vandalism on hartal day. In a statement here on Saturday, the IUML leader termed Jaleel's statement on the Tanur mayhem quite unfortunate.
"Jaleel's remarks implied only those establishments belonging to a particular community were targeted during the hartal. Shops belonging to Muslims also came under attack. His statement has put a blot on the district's tradition of communal amity and peaceful coexistence. Of the total 19 shops which were attacked during the hartal, 13 belong to Muslims," it said.
The minister was also trying to bail out the criminals allegedly belonging to the CPM who went on the rampage on hartal day, it said. According to Majeed, innocent persons are being hounded by the authorities in the name of the hartal.
"The BJP and the RSS were looking to unleash violence and trigger riots under the cover of hartal. The police should take action against these criminals and masterminds instead of going after innocent people," the statement said, adding a memorandum has been submitted to the Chief Minister and DGP Loknath Behera demanding a proper investigation and action against the culprits.