THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Drawing flak from various quarters for terming Jammu and Kashmir as ‘India-controlled Kashmir’ and PoK as ‘Azad Kashmir’, Left legislator KT Jaleel on Saturday withdrew his controversial Facebook post, reportedly on the instructions of the CPM. Terming the remarks anti-national,
Union minister Pralhad Joshi has urged the state government to take action against Jaleel. The CPM was quick to distance itself from Jaleel’s remarks while the Opposition UDF sought an apology from the former minister. Meanwhile, a complaint was filed against Jaleel by a lawyer at the Thilak Marg police station in Delhi.
Jaleel, in a Facebook post on Saturday, said certain remarks in his post during the visit to Kashmir seemed to have created a misunderstanding. “The remarks were interpreted contrary to my intention and hence I am withdrawing them for the good of society and to maintain social harmony,” said Jaleel. In an FB post earlier in the day, Jaleel said he only sympathised with those who do not understand the meaning of writing “Azad Kashmir” in double inverted commas.
Senior CPM leader and Local Self-Government Minister MV Govindan rejected Jaleel’s statement, saying it was not the party’s stance. “The CPM has always had a very clear stance on Kashmir and India. The party takes no onus over the remarks that are not in line with the CPM’s stance,” he said. The minister said it is for Jaleel to clarify on what basis the remarks were made. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to make his stand clear on the issue.
Pakistan invasion seems to have happened in Jaleel’s mind too: Shafi
Satheesan said if Jaleel had made the statements deliberately, he should apologise. “Whenever the CPM is in a quandary, Jaleel comes out with some controversial statements. It is doubtful whether this happens with the party’s knowledge,” said Satheesan. Youth Congress state president Shafi Parambil MLA took a dig at Jaleel saying a Pak invasion seems to have happened not just in Kashmir, but in Jaleel’s mind too.
Coming down heavily on Jaleel, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said: “They are talking against the country’s interests. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. We call the Pak-occupied part PoK. If they indulge in such thoughtless talk, they’re traitors. The Kerala government should deal with them strictly.” Jaleel made the controversial remarks in a relatively long Facebook post during his visit to Kashmir as part of an Assembly panel.
IT’S A VIOLATION OF OATH: KALEESWARAM RAJ
The statement is a clear violation of the oath that an MLA has taken as per Schedule (iii) of the Constitution. Therefore, there is a clear constitutional impropriety in his statement, says Supreme Court lawyer Kaleeswaram Raj. But this thing itself may not be legal ground to unseat him from the position of an MLA. Even breach of oath is not sufficient for the HC to issue a quo warranto against Jaleel. The legal position was clarified by the Full Bench of the Kerala HC in K C Chandy Vs Balakrishnapillai (1985). But in my view, as an elected representative, Jaleel ought to have shown more responsibility in making statements which are not even factually correct.
An Indian cannot make such statements: IUML
On Saturday, IUML also disagreed with the statements regarding Kashmir made by Tavanur MLA K T Jaleel. IUML state general secretary P M A Salam said an Indian cannot make such statements. “The authorities concerned should decide whether Jaleel should be punished for his statements or not,” Salam added.