With the National Investigation Agency (NIA) questioning higher education minister K T Jaleel, the opposition protests demanding the minister's resignation have become more insistent and louder. At the same time, the LDF's determination to protect the minister seems to have strengthened in proportion.
Cultural affairs minister A K Balan, who has been functioning as the government's spokesperson on the Jaleel issue, said that there was nothing out of the ordinary in the NIA summoning someone to seek clarity on an issue.
When Jaleel was first questioned by the Enforcement Directorate, CPM leaders had sought to soften the impact by saying that the agency was only concerned about non-serious issues like protocol violation.
After the NIA summons, the CPM strategy is to consider it a routine affair. "There is no need for Jaleel to resign because NIA had called him to record his statement. We have full faith in Jaleel. The NIA's is just a routine procedure. It is the duty of responsible agencies to interrogate and seek clarity on doubts," Balan said.
Balan also said that questions about resignation would arise only if Jaleel was made an accused and a case was registered against him. This was also th stnd aken by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when the ED questioned Jaleel. “There were neither any charges nor any probe initiated against Jaleel,” the Chief Minister had said.
Balan said it was even foolish to resign simply on the basis of an agency summons. "If leaders were to resign just because they were questioned by the agencies, no one would be able to rule at the Centre or states," Balan said.
CPM state secretariat member M V Govindan was far more defiant saying there was no need for Jaleel to resign even if a case was registered against him. He said the main culprits in the gold smuggling case were unon minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan and "the BJP channel head Anil Nambiar".
"Muraleedharn still says that the gold was not smuggled in a diplomatic bag," Govindan said. "It is intriguing why Muraleedharan and Anil Nambiar were not being brought within the ambit of the case," he added.
LDF convenor A Vijayaraghavan also said that there was no need for Jaleel to resign simply because a central agency had sought some information from him. "Jaleel had done nothing illegal. No individual should be put in trouble on the basis of mere suspicion," he said.
Perhaps the biggest shot in the arm for Jaleel is a firm no to resignation by CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran. It is the first time that Kanam had publicly responded in the Jaleel issue.
