Opposition asks Kerala CM to respond on Jaleel's " Azad Kashmir" and " India occupied Kashmir" statement

Thiruvananthapuram: After the left lawmaker KT Jaleel's statement on Kashmir snowballed into a major controversy gaining national attention, Opposition sought a clear response from Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the former minister said the part of Kashmir on the Indian side was "India Occupied Kashmir" and on the Pakistan side was "Azad Kashmir". This statement is a clear diversion from the stand taken by India.

Kerala opposition leader, V.D.Satheeshan said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan must make a clear response on the statement of Jaleel that Pakistan occupied Kashmir was "Azad Kashmir", a term used by Pakistan establishment.

BJP Kerala state president K. Surendran demanded the resignation of Jaleel from the post of MLA. Union Minister of State for External affairs and senior BJP leader from Kerala, V. Muraleedharan said that the Chief Minister cannot absolve him of the issue and demanded his response.

Jaleel's Facebook post followed a visit of a delegation of Kerala MLAs to Kashmir. His statement drew flak from across the state with CPI-M distancing from the statement of the controversial former minister. CPI-M leader and Kerala minister for Urban development, M. V. Govindan said that CPI-M has a clear policy on Kashmir and that it is not what was said by Jaleel.

The BJP has also charged that Jaleel was a former operative of the banned Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). BJP Kerala state president Surendran said that people can't expect much from a former SIMI leader and called upon the state government to foist sedition charges against Jaleel.

In a related development, ABVP Kerala state secretary NCT Sreehari has filed a complaint at the Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment police station against Jaleel demanding sedition charges against the former minister for his Facebook post.

Another case has already been registered at New Delhi against K.T. Jaleel on a petition filed by a person G.S. Mani who is a practicing lawyer in New Delhi.

IANS with edits