FB post on Kashmir: Kerala Guv comes out strongly against MLA Jaleel

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 14

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has come out strongly against former minister and MLA, K.T. Jaleel for his Facebook post in which he mentioned Kashmir as 'India Occupied Kashmir' and Pak Occupied Kashmir as 'Azad Kashmir'.

Arif Mohammed Khan said that the social media post of the former minister was 'Unfortunate'. However, the Governor said that he did not think that the statement was unexpectedly done.

The Kerala Governor was speaking to mediapersons here on Sunday and added that such things cannot be accepted.

It may be noted that Jaleel is in the midst of a controversy after a Facebook post with the BJP and Congress demanding immediate action by the Chief Minister against the legislator, who is an independent MLA supported by the Left front.

BJP Kerala state president, K. Surendran while speaking to IANS said, "Jaleel should be charged with sedition against this anti-national statement. The former minister has made this statement even as the country is celebrating its 75 Independence day. He must resign from the legislature post or the Chief Minister must force him to resign. Pinarayi Vijayan must make a statement on this."

He also said that Jaleel was a former operative of the Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and that not much could be expected from him.

Union Minister of state for External Affairs and senior leader of the BJP from Kerala, V. Muraleedharan also called for stringent action against K.T. Jaleel for his anti-national statement.

It may be noted that the CPI-M has also distanced themselves from Jaleel and senior leader of the party and state Urban Development Minister, M.V. Govindan Master said that the CPI-M's position on Kashmir was clear.

In the post written in Malayalam on Friday, the Kerala MLA said, "The part of Kashmir annexed to Pakistan was known as 'Azad Kashmir' and it was an area where the Pakistan government does not have direct control."

Jaleel was a minister in the previous CPI-M led LDF government.