Thiruvananthapuram ; After National Investigation Agency questioned Kerala Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel in connection with the gold smuggling case, the CPI(M) referred to the Opposition’s protest against him as an “anti-Quran” agitation.Probes into the gold smuggling by multiple agencies have found that Jaleel had accepted religious texts and food kits from the UAE Consulate, violating protocol norms and without getting duty exemption from the state.
The consignments were taken in a government vehicle to a private religious institute in Malappuram for distribution at the personal demand of the minister, despite the institute not putting forward any request. Investigating agencies have suspected presence of piracy in the consignment as key accused Swapna Suresh was also privy to these baggages.
With the Congress and Indian Union Muslim League mounting its protests against Jaleel, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, in his weekly column in party daily Deshabhimani, termed the protest against the state minister and the LDF government as an “anti-Quran agitation”.
“IUML is adding fire to the anti-Quran agitation of RSS. Congress will also be with IUML in that act. We are opposing the agitation against Quran on the ground that no religious text should become subject of ridicule,” he wrote.Speaking after the CPI(M) secretariat meeting, Balakrishnan also denied the Opposition demand for Jaleel’s resignation.
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