THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a deft political move, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attempted to weave the entire narrative of Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel’s alleged involvement in the gold smuggling case around religious lines on Tuesday. He questioned the real interests of the BJP and the Muslim League in attacking the minister over the import of the Quran. In his evening briefing, Pinarayi said it is true that the UAE Consulate gave a consignment of copies of the Quran to a section of people in the state during a festive occasion as a mark of respect and brotherhood.
“The BJP has a clear agenda in attacking the minister over this issue as it has a different political perspective. But what’s the interest of the Muslim League in joining hands with the BJP in attacking him over the import of the Quran? The Quran was gifted to the people of the state by another country and neither the state government nor the minority department has sought this,” the CM said.
He said the Muslim League is using the opportunity to target the minister by creating a smokescreen over the issue despite the Quran being the religious text of a particular community.“There was a deliberate attempt to unleash unnecessary campaigns in connection with the case which will not work in a state like Kerala. League is of the stance that if Jaleel is the target, even the Quran does not matter,” Pinarayi said.
Jaleel a man of faith: Balan
“Everyone in the state knows the circumstances that forced Jaleel to switch his loyalty to the Left from the League,” Pinarayi said.The CPM strongman also lashed out at BJP president K Surendran over the latter’s remarks against him and the attempt to link his daughter with the Life Mission row. “The BJP president has lost his mental equilibrium and the party should think if a man like him should be allowed to head a party in the state,” he said.
Upset over the series of protests being organised by Opposition parties throwing Covid guidelines to the winds, the CM termed their political view narrow. He reiterated his stance that there is no need for Jaleel to resign.When the issue first snowballed into a controversy, Jaleel had asked whether facilitating the distribution of the Quran in Kerala was an “anti-national” activity. He also wondered what was wrong in giving copies of the Quran to mosques.
“As long as the Holy Quran is not banned in India, what mistake has been committed? Do the Opposition parties think that the Holy Quran cannot be loaded into a government vehicle?” he had asked.Earlier in the day, Law Minister A K Balan and Jaleel himself attempted to counter the allegations against him on religious lines. “Jaleel is a man of iman (faith),” Balan said at Nadapuram.
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The CM has been trying to shield the government by saying all allegations against ministers were fabricated stories, said Ramesh Chennithala.
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SURENDRAN HAS LOST MENTAL BALANCE, SAYS PINARAYI
Losing his cool over allegations levelled against his daughter, Pinarayi Vijayan has said BJP state president K Surendran has lost his mental balance. The BJP should consider whether he should remain as its state chief, said Pinarayi.