Kerala CM’s Reference to Malappuram in Gold Smuggling, Hawala Cases Triggers Controversy

Thiruvananthapuram: The reference by Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to Malappuram district about gold smuggling and hawala cases has sparked controversy.

The opposition, including Congress and the Muslim League, has accused the Chief Minister of casting the Malappuram district in a negative light. A recent interview with the chief minister, published by a national newspaper in Delhi, quoted him stating that gold smuggling and hawala transactions were funding anti-national activities in Malappuram, intensifying the controversy.

The newspaper later clarified on Tuesday that the remarks about Malappuram were added at the request of a PR agency that arranged the chief minister's interview. An apology was offered for the incident.

However, leaders from the Congress and Muslim League want the chief minister to apologise personally for his remarks. They accused the Left government of hiring PR agencies that possibly are engaged in promoting anti-Muslim sentiment.

Rahul Gandhi has consistently highlighted the influence of PR agencies in shaping a specific narrative within the country, said IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on September 21, had made a similar statement regarding the highest number of cases of smuggled gold recovery and hawala money reported in Malappuram district. He quoted statistics saying that such actions were against the country.

The opposition says that the Malappuram district has consistently been targeted by the RSS. It is the only district among the 14 in Kerala with a Muslim majority. During campaigns in North India, many RSS and BJP leaders intentionally misname Malappuram as Mullapuram, accusing the Left of forming the district to appease Muslims.

While the Chief Minister simply highlighted that Karipur Airport, located in Malappuram district, has the highest rate of gold smuggling using statistics, this was misinterpreted as casting the district in a negative light.

However, political observers suggest that the Chief Minister should have exercised caution when making remarks about a sensitive area such as Malappuram.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan clarifies his position on the issue

At an event in Kozhikode on Tuesday evening, he addressed the interview controversy. "A newspaper published an interview recently. However, they included certain things I did not say. My office identified the error, and the newspaper corrected the mistake and apologized for the oversight."

I frequently address the media and public gatherings, yet I have never spoken against any specific district, religion, region, or section of society. Such statements have never originated from me," he said.

"I firmly denounce communal forces and communalism. Highlighting communalism does not equate to opposing any specific religion. Our strong opposition to the RSS, a significant communal organization, should not be misconstrued as opposition to the Hindu community. We stand against both majority and minority communalism.

The majority of individuals from both the majority and minority communities in our country uphold secular values. It is only a small fraction within these groups that have adopted communal views, and they should be isolated," the chief minister said.

Addressing the controversy surrounding gold smuggling and hawala money, the chief minister stated, "The majority of gold smuggling cases occur through Kozhikode airport, situated in Malappuram district. The cases recorded here contribute to the statistics of Malappuram district. However, this does not imply that the crimes are committed within Malappuram district itself."

The Chief Minister reiterated the statistics concerning gold smuggling and hawala transactions that he had presented at the press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on September 21.

The following are statistics of gold and hawala money confiscated by the police across the state in recent years: In 2022, 79.9 kg of gold was seized in 98 cases; in 2023, 48.7 kg in 61 cases; and 18.1 kg in 26 cases so far this year. Over the past three years, a total of 147.79 kg of gold has been seized, with 124.47 kg from Malappuram district alone. Since 2020, the police have seized hawala money totaling Rs 122.5 crore statewide, with Rs 87.22 crore from Malappuram. These figures suggest that significant amounts of gold and hawala money are being trafficked through Karipur airport, and it is the government's responsibility to rigorously prevent this.

Why do some individuals become anxious when law enforcement agencies apprehend gold smugglers and hawala dealers? he asked, indirectly referring to P. V. Anwar, MLA. These are illicit activities that should not occur within the country and must be curtailed effectively.

Does criticism imply that the police should refrain from acting against illegal activities?

Can gold smuggling and hawala transactions ever be considered patriotic?

He said the police will persist in taking strict action against such activities.

Attempts are being made to misinterpret our statements, creating a smokescreen. Behind these attempts lies a clear communal agenda, which the people of the state will reject, he added.

"Malappuram is known for its secular mindset. There will be no compromise with either minority or majority communal forces. The CPM's stance is that both forms of communalism are complementary to each other. We are politically committed to combating such forces," he said.

Commenting on the BJP's victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, the chief minister stated that it warrants serious examination. The Congress needs to introspect why their vote share decreased by 86,000 compared to the 2019 polls. While the LDF's votes have increased, they did not meet our expectations. The BJP increased its vote share by 1 lakh votes and secured victory. The Congress should acknowledge that this includes the 86,000 votes they lost.

He stated that the CPM could never compromise with the RSS, which is accused of murdering numerous party workers and leaders in Kerala.

Regarding the allegations made by Anwar, the chief minister commented, "We have taken the MLA's allegations seriously, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under the State Police Chief. The SIT has been instructed to submit a report within one month. Once we receive the report, appropriate action will be taken based on its findings."

However, Anwar is not willing to wait. He has already embarked on a path with a specific agenda, the chief minister said.