LoP Satheesan rebukes CPI(M) leader Balan over Jamaat-e-Islami remark, calls it 'communal'

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7 (PTI) Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Wednesday vehemently criticised CPI(M) leader A K Balan for his remarks linking UDF to the Jamaat-e-Islami and accused him of borrowing from Sangh Parivar's playbook to polarise the state ahead of elections.

Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan termed the statement of Balan, a former Law Minister, as "dangerous and communal".

The Leader of Opposition's (LoP) reaction came a day after Balan had told the media that the Home Department would be governed by the Jamaat-e-Islami if the Congress-led UDF returned to power in the state following the upcoming Assembly elections.

"His statement is similar to the extreme political line being adopted by the Sangh Parivar in India,' Satheesan alleged.

Citing an old campaign tactic of the right-wing outfit, he claimed that during an Assembly election in Gujarat years ago, the Sangh Parivar used the prospect of Ahmed Patel, a minority community leader, becoming the chief minister of the state to instil fear and consolidate votes. Satheesan accused Balan of "trying to replicate the model" in Kerala politics.

"We have no doubt the secular Kerala will resist and defeat any such move to replicate such Sangh Parivar tactics in the state election," he added.

The LoP also sought to know whether the CPI(M) officially endorsed Balan's views and charged the ruling party with "attempting to create communal divisions in the state for political gains".

He urged the CPI, the second major ally in the ruling LDF, to clarify its position on Balan's remarks. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami, the state chapter of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, on Wednesday sent a legal notice to Balan demanding Rs 1 crore as compensation, alleging that his remarks against it were derogatory and defamatory.

As per the legal notice, issued by Shihab Pookkottur, the state secretary of the organisation, the Left leader's statements were "false, baseless, and made with the clear intention of damaging the reputation and goodwill of Jamaat-e-Islami and its leaders and workers." In the notice, the organisation also accused the former minister of making the statement with the mala fide intention of creating communal polarisation in society for the political benefit of the CPI (M) in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections. Balan is yet to respond to the legal notice, according to sources. PTI LGK ADB