Kerala CM's PR disaster: Pinarayi disowns remarks on Malappuram, no word on agency presence at interview

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has washed his hands of the controversy following his references to gold and hawala seizure in Malappuram in an interview with The Hindu newspaper. There has been a ripple effect though, something the office of the Chief Minister may not have anticipated. Soon after the Chief Minister's office issued a press note saying that the statements in the interview did not reflect the CM's views and the state government's stand on these matters, The Hindu came up with a correction note which also included a statement which could undo the claims of the CM regarding engaging PR agencies.

" PR agency Kaizzen had approached The Hindu offering an interview withe the Chief Minister. Our journalist interviewed the Chief Minister at Kerala house in New Delhi at 9 am on September 29, where two representatives of the PR agency were also present along with the Chief Minister. Subsequently one of the PR representatives requested for the inclusion of details regarding gold smuggling and hawala transactions in Malappuram, money from which were used for anti-state and anti-national activities. The PR representatives provided in writing the request for inclusion in the Chief Minister's response of the lines that are now disowned by the Chief Minister's press secretary,'' a note issued by the Editor of The Hindu said.

On Tuesday evening, the Chief Minister said during the party convention that his words were misinterpreted and that the newspaper had issued a correction." It included a portion that I had not said, which led to a controversy," the CM said.

This admission that he did not say something which actually surfaced in the interview spells trouble for the CM. The Editor of the Hindu in the correction note said. "The comments ( regarding Malappuram gold smuggling and hawala transactions), the PR representative said, were originally made at a press conference by the Chief Minister". The correction note from the Hindu clearly establishes three things: a PR agency approached the Hindu offering an interview, the PR representatives were present during the interview, and they even included statements that the CM had not said.

Whenever CM faced questions about employing PR agencies, he feigned ignorance and even placed himself on a moral pedestal. On May 19, 2020, he said, " I have not fitted in any devices to seek help from PR agencies to answer your questions. You ask questions freely, and I reply to your queries. I don't wait for cues from any agency. This land knows me very well,''. He made this statement while responding to allegations that CM's press conferences were orchestrated by PR agencies to enhance his image. The CM had faced similar allegations of engaging PR agencies during his Covid time press meets. In April 2021, three days ahead of the assembly elections, Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the Left did not require a PR agency and instead, it was their supporters on social media who put up a defence. Opposition leader V D Satheesan had alleged in 2023 that Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan had consulted a Mumbai-based public relations agency for an image makeover ahead of the 2021 assembly elections eying a second term in Kerala. The office of the Chief Minister which repudiated the controversial statements in the interview is yet to respond to Hindu's note saying that PR representatives included statements which CM never said. Onmanorama has sought comments from Kaizzen on Hindu's note saying that PR representatives intervened in the interview and how long Kaizzen has been associated with Kerala CMO. A reply is being awaited.

The controversial remarks
In the interview published on September 30, one of the questions was on how the CM reacted to the allegations that top-ranking police officers and staff members have been meeting RSS functionaries in secret and that the CPM was soft on RSS. In the reply, the CM begins by saying how CPM has always opposed the RSS and mentions about the support of the minority groups for the LDF. Then he says, " When our government acts against Muslim extremist elements, these forces try to project we are acting against Muslims. For example, 150 kg of gold and hawala money worth Rs 123 crore were seized by the state police in the last five years from Malappuram district. This money is entering Kerala for anti-state and anti-national activities".

This statement, which gave an extremist shade to gold smuggling activities in Malappuram, drew sharp responses from Muslim League general secretary PMA Salam. He said that the Chief Minister should explain on what evidence he said money from gold smuggling in Malappuram was being used for anti-national activities. P A Anvar MLA, during his explanatory meeting, also latched on to the CM's statement and slammed his remarks regarding Malappuram. Once the issue flared up, the CMO office issued a note and disowned the remarks made in the interview.