K.T. Jaleel’s remarks on gold smuggling sparks row, IUML demands apology

Left Independent MLA K.T. Jaleel sparked a controversy on Sunday (October 6,2024) with his remark that the majority of the people caught for smuggling gold through the Calicut international airport, Karipur, are from the Muslim community.

Mr. Jaleel’s demand that Muslim religious authorities declare gold smuggling and hawala as “anti-religious” also stirred a hornet’s nest with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Congress slamming him for his remarks.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Mr. Jaleel said that members of the Muslim community constitute a majority among people apprehended for smuggling gold through the Karipur airport. “Without confronting this issue, what reform and progress do ‘Malappuram lovers’ hope to achieve in the Muslim community? A good percentage of the Muslims getting involved in gold smuggling and hawala believe that such activities are not against the faith,” he said.

Wrongdoing by a member of any religious community should be strongly opposed by that community, Mr. Jaleel said. He went on to add that how can it be termed ‘Islamophobic’ when religious authorities are urged to create awareness among such individuals.

Mr. Jaleel also wanted to know where the “lovers of Malappuram” were when he himself was accused of smuggling gold and hounded by the media, IUML, Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Apology sought

Meanwhile, Mr. Jaleel’s remarks drew sharp criticism from the IUML which demanded an apology from him for linking the Muslim community to gold smuggling. IUML state general secretary P.M.A. Salam demanded in a Facebook post that Mr. Jaleel should apologise for the “vile statement.” Placing the entire responsibility of a crime on a single community is strange. Even the RSS would not make such a statement, Mr. Salam said, adding that strong protests would emerge against it.

Congress MLA A.P. Anil Kumar termed Mr. Jaleel’s remarks as an “unpardonable error.” In a Facebook post, Mr. Anil Kumar slammed Mr. Jaleel for using Malappuram district and the people of Malappuram to express his devotion to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

BJP leader and former Union Minister V. Muraleedharan termed Mr. Jaleel’s demand for a religious ruling against gold smuggling as an insult to the Constitution of India. The country has laws for preventing smuggling, he said.

Published - October 06, 2024 08:48 pm IST