Thiruvananthapuram: A political battle is raging between the ruling and Opposition fronts in Kerala over the demand for the resignation of Minister K T Jaleel who has been questioned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the gold smuggling case and the distribution of diplomatic parcels that arrived at the UAE consulate.
As the agitation for the resignation of the minister intensified all over Kerala, the meetings of CPM state secretariat and the Left Front leadership rejected the demand and decided to confront the Opposition.
The meetings alleged that the demonstrations of the Opposition were a deliberate violent agitation and decided to confront and expose the protests.
The protests by the UDF and the BJP demanding Jaleel's resignation intensified on the seventh day on Friday. The demonstrations at Malappuram, Kottayam and Kasaragod ended in clashes with the police. The protests are strong in other districts as well. Youth Congress leaders staged a lightning strike at the entrance of the police headquarters.
"In what world do you live in to demand the resignation of Minister KT Jaleel for being summoned as a witness by the central agencies? Jaleel is not going to resign, and the Opposition's protests will also go nowhere,” CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said. He asked if the Muslim League was supporting the RSS, which has trying to oppose the Qur’an by singling it out.
The CPM and Jaleel should not take the name of the Qur’an in an attempt to wriggle out of the controversy, Muslim League general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said in response.
The BJP has accused the CPM of resorting to communal games to protect Jaleel in the name of the Qur'an.
The Qur'an got caught in the war of words between the Opposition and ruling parties after central investigation agencies summoned Minister Jaleel to seek details of the distribution of copies of the holy text that arrived at the UAE Consulate in Kerala through the diplomatic channel.
The questioning was part of investigations into the gold smoking racket that operated through the diplomatic channels. The racket was busted on July 5 when Customs officials found smuggled gold hidden in diplomatic parcels addressed to an official at the UAE Consulate.
In the meeting of the LDF leaders that discussed the current political situation for an hour-and-a-half, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said what is needed now is a counter attack and not going into a defensive mode. CPI leader Pannyan Raveendran also said that it was time to change the perception that the CPM has become isolated due to the controversies.
It was then suggested at the meeting that the LDF should respond to the Opposition protests as a single unit instead of through individual constituents. The other parties in the alliance also spoke in support of the government's developmental achievements.
The meeting then took decisions based on the understanding reached between the CPM and the CPI through talks.
The discussions between the leaders of the Congress and the Muslim League, on the other hand, felt that the controversies and inquiries in the wake of the gold smuggling case have resulted in a loss of face for the government.
The government is involving the Qur’an in the political debate to divert attention from the crisis it finds itself in and to see if it can try to escape from the controversies by inciting communal tensions, the meeting, attended by leaders Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala, Mullappally Ramachandran, P K Kunhalikutty and M K Muneer, said.
Both the parties reviewed the preparations for the strike announced against the government in front of the Secretariat and the district headquarters on September 22.
Meanwhile, DYFI staged a statewide protest demanding the resignation of Union minister V Muraleedharan.
Many protesters injured in police lathicharge
The protest marches conducted by various Opposition organisations demanding the resignation of minister K T Jaleel ended in clashes with the police.
Several activists were injured in lathicharges and water cannons used by the police to control the protests in Malappuram, Kottayam, Nedumkandam (Idukki), Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta.
In Malappuram, five people, including Youth Congress district president Shaji Pacheri and KSU state secretary P Ramshad, were admitted to hospital with serious eye and head injuries. Former state secretary of the Youth Congress Siddique Panthavoor was also at the receiving end of the police assault.
Clashes broke out with the police during separate marches of the Youth Congress and Youth Front Joseph faction in Kottayam.
KPCC secretary Nattakam Suresh, Youth Congress district president Chintu Kurian Joy, Youth Congress state secretary Tom Korah Ancheril, DCC general secretary Johny Joseph, Kerala Congress (Joseph) district president Saji Manjakadambil and Youth Front (Joseph) district president Shiju Paarayidukil were injured.
In Alappuzha, 21 people were injured, including KSU district president Nitin A Puthiyidam and two women office-bearers. Cases have been registered against 50 people.
At Nedumkandam in Idukki, several people were injured in police lathicharge during a Youth Congress protest.
There was a scuffle with the police during the Mahila Morcha demonstration in Pathanamthitta.