KT Jaleel Pakistani spy, let him live there: Kerala BJP chief

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP's Kerala unit president K. Surendran on Sunday said former minister and Left-backed MLA, K.T. Jaleel is a "Pakistani spy, and he must go and live there".

Surendran came out strongly against Jaleel over his Facebook post that mentioned Kashmir as 'India Occupied Kashmir', and Pakistan occupied Kashmir as 'Azad Kashmir'.

Speaking at a programme at Kalpetta in Wayanad district of Kerala, the BJP leader said that if a person cannot accept that Kashmir is part of India, it is better for him to go to Pakistan.

He said if Jaleel is not going to Pakistan on his own, he should be despatched to the neighbouring country.

Surendran said that there are many people who have their allegiance towards Pakistan even as they live in India, and Jaleel is among them.

The senior BJP leader said Jaleel must quit his legislator post and tender unconditional apology to the country over his statement. He said that this was not an inadvertent mistake but a deliberate one.

He also said Jaleel has insulted the Keralites as a whole.

Meanwhile, K.T. Jaleel cut short his stay in Delhi and rushed to Kozhikode on Sunday morning.

It may be noted that a complaint has been lodged against Jaleel at a police station in Delhi, and another one at Thiruvananthapuram police station.

CPI-M leaders have already distanced themselves from Jaleel's statement with Kerala Urban Development minister M.V. Govindan stating his party has a clear vision on Kashmir.

Jaleel withdrew his controversial post on Saturday after intervention from the CPI-M leadership.