CPI(M)-UDF clash over Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s gold smuggling comments allegedly against Malappuram residents

UDF and CPI(M) clash over accusations of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demonizing Malappuram residents, sparking political tensions in Kerala.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] squared off belligerently on Tuesday (October 1, 2024) over whether Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan allegedly sought to demonise Malappuram residents by dwelling on the significant number of contraband gold carriers interdicted by the State police outside the Karipur airport. 

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has denied the UDF’s accusation and stated that Mr. Vijayan did not mention any particular region or people while dwelling on the huge amount of hawala cash and contraband gold confiscated by the Kerala Police.

The CPI(M) believes the Opposition’s attack against the CMO was calibrated to diminish the party’s growing acceptance among minorities, especially given the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) government’s strident stance against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Waqf Amendment Bill (2024), abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the India Constitution, among other issues.

However, the CPI(M) protestations have not deterred the UDF from assailing the government.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) State general secretary P.M.A. Salam, Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran and Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan slammed Mr. Vijayan for allegedly portraying Malappuram, a district with an overwhelming number of Muslims, as replete with economic offenders.

Mr. Salam accused Mr. Vijayan of playing to the Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) anti-minority rhetoric to save the latter and his family from Central investigations and also foster a communal divide for political dividends. 

Mr. Salam said Mr. Vijayan had “conveniently blamed” Malappuram because the Karipur airport was on Kozhikode’s border.