‘Speech Appears To Recorded One’: Kerala CM Says Police To Probe Hamas Leader's Virtual Address

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan stressed that appropriate action would be taken if any wrongdoing was found over the alleged virtual address by a Hamas leader at an event organised by an Islamist group.

File Photo of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Amid political controversy over the alleged virtual address by a Hamas leader at an event organised by an Islamist group in Kerala, the state's Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, announced on Monday that the matter would be thoroughly examined by the police. He stressed that appropriate action would be taken if any wrongdoing was found. Pinarayi Vijayan revealed that the virtual address seemed to have been pre-recorded, and the content of the speech needed to be examined thoroughly, news agency PTI reported.

The speaker, referred to as a Palestinian warrior, had participated in an event organised by the Solidarity Youth Movement, the youth wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

"We need to see what he said. It appears that the speech was a recorded one. We need to understand that issue properly," he told reporters at Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), as quoted by PTI.

CM Vijayan clarified that when organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami approach the police for permission to hold events, their requests are not denied. He emphasised that due process had been followed in this instance and that any irregularities would be investigated by the police, with appropriate action taken.

At the same time, he accused Rajeev Chandrasekhar and his associates of trying to file cases against those who express support for Palestine, asserting that such attempts would not succeed in Kerala.

The controversy centers around the virtual participation of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in a protest program organised by an Islamist group in Kerala against Israel's conflict with the militant outfit. The BJP has accused the Left government of not intervening to prevent the address, leading to political tensions on the issue.

Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai visited the victims of the recent Kalamassery blast at the Government Medical College.

When asked if the State Government was properly handling the issue, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan responded, "This is not the right time to ask this question. Maybe after a few days, if there is any lapse then you can raise this question...There are two things - first, expression of sympathy and second, we should not tolerate a culture of violence. This is repugnant to democracy, repugnant to rule of law and repugnant to civilised existence."

"Nobody can be allowed to take law in their own hands and play games with the lives of people. For that, you can't blame anybody, we can together try to create an awareness where we have respect for each other and nothing like this ugly thing ever happens again," he stressed.

Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive