Malappuram: LDF legislator KT Jaleel has said that a majority of people apprehended while smuggling gold through the Kozhikode International Airport, located in Malappuram district, belong to the Muslim community. He was responding to the criticism by leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Congress against his earlier statement seeking a ‘fatwa’ (religious edict) by Panakkad Sadiqali Shihab Thangal against gold smuggling by Muslims.

In his latest Facebook post, Jaleel asked ‘Malappuram lovers’, who criticise him, how would they bring progress in the Muslim community without accepting this reality. Recently, Jaleel had urged Sadiqali Thangal, who is the ‘khasi’ (chief religious authority) of hundreds of ‘mahallus’ (local congregations), to issue a call to believers not to engage in gold smuggling and hawala transactions. According to Jaleel, such a ‘fatwa’ would go a long way in shedding the bad image of Malappuram district.

However, the national organising secretary of the Muslim League ET Muhammed Basheer alleged that Jaleel’s statement was part of a conspiracy to trap Muslims in CPM's politicking. Meanwhile, Congress leader VT Balram said Jaleel’s statement was 'pure nonsense'.

Reiterating his position, Jaleel pointed out that a vast majority of Muslims who engage in gold smuggling and hawala transactions believe that such activities are 'not against faith'. "When a demand is raised that religious leaders should create awareness among such Muslims, how can that be termed Islamophobic?” said Jaleel.

“Society will scoff at a person who finds fault with a speck of dust in another’s eye, while carrying a spear in his eye,” added Jaleel, quoting a Malayalam proverb. Referring to the allegations of gold smuggling against him in the past, Jaleel, who hails from Malappuram and represents the Thavanur Assembly constituency in the district, said, “Where did all these lovers of Malappuram hide when I was falsely accused of smuggling gold in the Holy Quran and hounded by the media, IUML and Congress?”