Kerala CM Vijayan's office claims Malappuram remark 'misinterpreted', seeks rectification from newspaper

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office has responded to the backlash over his remarks on Malappuram, stating that his words were misinterpreted and taken out of context. The Chief Minister's Press Secretary wrote a letter to The Hindu newspaper, stating that the remark was misinterpreted and didn't reflect the stance of Vijayan or the government. The letter clarified that the statement aimed to convey that smuggled gold and money are used for terrorist activities, without mentioning any specific place or region.

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The Chief Minister's remark, suggesting that gold smuggling occurs in Malappuram and is used for anti-national activities, has drawn widespread criticism.

Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan was quick to criticize the remark, calling it an attempt to appease the Sangh Parivar in Delhi and cover up the embarrassment of Chief Minister's exposed RSS connections. Satheesan demanded clarification on the basis of the statement, pointing out that it was never mentioned in the Assembly or elsewhere. He questioned why Vijayan concealed this information for so long and why it was only revealed in an interview with a national media outlet in Delhi and said this is not a matter to be confined to an interview with an English newspaper. 

Satheesan emphasized that if the statement is true, it's a serious matter and the Chief Minister should explain the actions taken by the state government and police against those involved. He highlighted that as Leader of the Opposition, he had previously raised concerns about gold smuggling and tax evasion in the Assembly.

Satheesan said that it was he who, during the first Pinarayi government, sought permission to present an adjournment motion on Kerala becoming a haven for gold smugglers. "As the Leader of the Opposition during the second Pinarayi government, I raised concerns in the Assembly multiple times about tax evasion related to gold. The opposition had also alleged that the government and the CPM were complicit in gold smuggling," he said.

Satheesan pointed out that the Chief Minister's revelation to the national media is something he remained silent about all along. He concluded by stating that if the revelation is true, it is an admission of failure by the Home Department, which is under the Chief Minister's control.

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• CM Pinarayi Vijayan
• Malappuram
• gold smuggling