Former Minister K.T. Jaleel, MLA, has landed in the soup after he described Jammu and Kashmir as “Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir” and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) as “Azad Kashmir.”
In a lengthy Facebook post about his recent visit to Kashmir, Dr. Jaleel said the Pakistan government did not have much influence on the POK. “The part of Kashmir annexed to Pakistan was known as Azad Kashmir. Pakistan only controls currency and military in the area. The Pakistan government does not possess much power in the POK,” Dr. Jaleel said.
He further said the “Indian Occupied Kashmir” consisted of Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. Referring to the security situation in the Valley, Dr. Jaleel said Kashmir’s face was not bright enough and soldiers with guns could be seen everywhere. The people of Kashmir had forgotten to laugh. The former Minister suggested that the people of the region were unhappy with the abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
BJP flays MLA
Criticising the post, BJP State president K. Surendran said that Dr. Jaleel should be booked for sedition. Referring to the MLA’s past, the BJP leader said that people should not expect anything other than anti-India remarks from the former Students Islamic Movement of India leader. “His remarks are against the integrity and sovereignty of the country. His statements are against the Constitution of India. He has lost the right to continue as an MLA,” Mr. Surendran said while urging the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] to make their stance clear on the issue.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that he was yet to read Dr. Jaleel’s post.
A native of Tirur in Malappuram, Dr. Jaleel joined the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in the late 1980s. After severing ties with SIMI, he joined the Muslim Students Federation and later worked in the Indian Union Youth League, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League. After his ouster from the Youth League following differences with the leadership in 2005, Dr. Jaleel sided with the Left and enjoyed the confidence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Controversies are nothing new to the CPI(M)-backed MLA representing Thavanur in Malappuram. Dr. Jaleel who served as Higher Education Minister in the previous Left Democratic Front government was forced to quit after the Kerala Lok Ayukta found charges of nepotism against him. After his name figured in the diplomatic channel gold smuggling case, he was questioned by Central agencies.
