Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 18 The controversial Kerala gold smuggling case appears to have taken a new turn with the Holy Quran now taking centre stage.
This was expected to happen ever since State Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel came under the scanner of both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
By now the NIA has also questioned him for the role he played in distributing the Holy Quran that was given to him by the UAE Consulate.
The latest buzz is that Jaleel will now be called in by the Customs as well.
CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, writing in party organ Deshabhimani said that the Congress, Indian Union Muslim league and the BJP were spreading canards in the name of the Quran and targeting Jaleel.
"The UAE Consulate sought the help of Jaleel to distribute the Holy Quran and Ramadan kits. He distributed that at various places. Is that a crime? A section of the media and the opposition is now spreading canards," wrote Balakrishnan.
"Is distributing the Quran a crime in India and is there any such order in the country? The RSS and the BJP have always been against the Quran and they have always been against Muslims and Communists. To ensure that this happens, the Centre is trying to use the national agencies for it. It's understandable for the RSS to have an allergy to the Quran, but I fail to understand why the IUML and the Congress are doing it," stated Balakrishnan.
On Friday, speaking to the media after the CPI-M state secretariat meeting, Balakrishnan said the Congress and BJP were conspiring against the government.
"Both these parties are now using the help of goons to take on our Ministers. The people in Kerala now understand everything and this united protest has no support of the people. The Congress is jittery as they realise the Vijayan government will get a second term and is now resorting to usurp this Left government with the BJP's help," added Balakrishnan.
Meanwhile Jaleel, who has not come before the media ever since he first appeared before the ED and later the NIA, on Friday wrote on Facebook that regardless of whichever agency questions him, something which is not there won't be discovered.
"I have nothing to fear as I have done even the slightest of the wrong. I can only sympathise with the media who are providing live information to where I am travelling and where I am staying, to those who are waylaying me," wrote Jaleel.
Hitting back at the CPI-M and Jaleel State BJP president K.Surendran told the media here on Friday that it was Jaleel who had used the Quran to engage in gold smuggling.
"It's Jaleel who has maligned the Quran and the CPI-M is trying to use the Quran to give Jaleel a martyr's status. Jaleel has not been given a clean chit by any of the agencies. After being caught, the CPI-M is trying to ride on Quran to rake up passions among the minority community," said Surendran.
Senior IUML Lok sabha member P.K.Kunhalikutty said the Left government is playing third-rate politics in the name of gold smuggling.
"The Left here is using the Quran for petty political games and this is nothing but cheap politics," said Kunhalikutty.
( With inputs from IANS )
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