Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday slammed the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) for dragging the Quran into the gold smuggling controversy. He also alleged the UDF was toeing the BJP-RSS line on the issue and they need to introspect. “There was no need to drag the holy book into controversy and there was no need to attack the state government and the minister,” CM told the media.
It was the RSS and the BJP that had first made the allegation that gold had been smuggled in the guise of importing Quran from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was later picked up by the UDF's Congress and Muslim League leaders, the CM told reporters.
Pinarayi Vijayan was replying to the queries of reporters on how protests against Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel and the questioning by National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) over links with UAE Consulate and gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh, can be termed as something against the Quran.
After the Quran was brought to the UAE Consulate, the Consular General had reportedly sought help from Jaleel for distributing it as ‘zakat’ (charity) during Ramzan and the Minister had obliged, CM Pinarayi said.
"When the BJP-RSS makes such an allegation, it is understandable. But later, the Congress and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders spoke in the same vein and gave it publicity. The UDF Convenor had even shot off a letter to the Prime Minister and League leaders, and openly made the allegation. We all saw that. On what basis were the allegations made? Why did they make the allegations and for whom?” Pinarayi Vijayan asked, adding, “It seems they have understood that it has backfired. It is good they realised their blunder.”
A day after CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in an article in Deshabhimani, the party organ, attacked IUML for dragging the Quran into the gold smuggling controversy, Pinarayi Vijayan took on the League, a prominent ally of the opposition front, saying they should not have insulted the sacred text.
"Congress and IUML need to introspect. RSS have their own agenda. Why did UDF toe the RSS stand?" the Chief Minister asked.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the Marxist party should not be under the impression that people can be fooled.
They are aware that Kodiyeri Balakrishnan is playing the communal card to give space to BJP and help the saffron party in the state, Chennithala alleged.
"We all respect religious texts — the Bible, Quran, Gita. In the name of a religious text, CPI(M) is trying to unleash communal propaganda to prevent the UDF from speaking about the gold smuggling case," he said.
He claimed the LDF ministry was a "sinking ship" and asserted that the opposition will not back out from its demand for Jaleel's resignation. Protests demanding Jaleel’s resignation by various opposition youth organisations have been going on in the state for the last eight days.
(With PTI input)
Watch: Protests demanding Jaleel's resignation turn violent