‘Totally unacceptable…’: Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan on KT Jaleel's ‘Azad Kashmir’ remark

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday termed as "very unfortunate" and "totally unacceptable" the recent controversial remarks on Kashmir made on social media by ruling LDF MLA K T Jaleel.

"It is very unfortunate. Not only is it unacceptable, I wonder if these comments were made after going through some literature or after knowing something or just out of ignorance. I do not know…I feel very sorry for this kind of comment. It is totally unacceptable. I feel hurt by these kinds of comments," Khan said while speaking to reporters here.

The Governor further said, "Do we not realise the preciousness of our freedom? Do we not realise the importance of our national integrity? How can we afford to say things like this?"

Jaleel returned to Kerala early Sunday morning due to some personal reasons.

CPI(M) MLA A C Moideen, told reporters in Delhi, that Jaleel returned to Kerala early in the morning after receiving a call from home.

On the comments made by Jaleel, Moideen said his stand is that of his party.

The ruling CPI(M) has distanced itself from the former minister's remarks, saying they were not the party's view.

Senior Marxist party leader and Minister M V Govindan had on Saturday said that what Jaleel had said was not the CPI(M)'s view and the Left party has a clear stand on India and Kashmir.

After his remarks kicked up a row, Jaleel withdrew his statement and at the same time claimed that the same was misinterpreted.

"I have only sympathy for those who don't understand the meaning of "Azad Kashmir" when it is written in double inverted commas," Jaleel had said in a Malayalam FB post after withdrawing his earlier controversial remarks.

However, he kept mum on the other comment: "Indian adheena Jammu and Kashmir" (India-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir)" in his explanatory note.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that the Kerala government should not think that making Jaleel withdraw his comments was the end of the matter.

Speaking to reporters in the state, Muraleedharan said that BJP will take the issue forward till a permanent solution is found.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been made to the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) seeking strict action against the MLA for his remarks.

The complaint by ABVP state secretary N C T Sreehari was sent to the police commissioner on August 12, the day the controversial remarks were made by Jaleel on his Facebook page.

The complainant has contended that the remarks are allegedly anti-national as they would adversely impact the unity of the nation.

In his post on Friday, the Kerala MLA had said, "The part of Kashmir annexed to Pakistan was known as 'Azad Kashmir' and it was an area where the Pakistan government does not have direct control."

Jaleel, who was a minister in the previous CPI(M)-led LDF government, had also said "Indian adheena Jammu and Kashmir" consists of parts of Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh."

The comments had invited severe criticism from several people, especially BJP leaders.