A day after CPM leader P Nandakumar made communally charged remarks about Malappuram district, calling it a “stronghold of religious fundamentalists and communalists”, State Secretary MV Govindan clarified that the remarks were only in reference to the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Indian Union Muslim League.

“When we talk about the political balance of power in Malappuram, we say that the ideological positions of the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Indian Union Muslim League are communal. That is in reference to the political parties, not Malappuram district,” MV Govindan explained.

He added that the party would never make communal remarks against Malappuram, describing it as a land that played a historic role in the national freedom struggle.

“Isn’t Malappuram the land that led historic struggles as part of the national freedom movement? People from all sections of society were part of it. Muslims, Hindus and people from all communities participated in the struggle. The formation of Malappuram district and other developments were part of the struggles waged by all of them,” he said.

Nandakumar had described Malappuram as a “stronghold of religious fundamentalists and communalists” and said the Communist Party was a secular party. He made the remarks in the presence of Pinarayi Vijayan while delivering the welcome address at the extended district committee meeting.

Responding to the remarks, the Chief Minister VD Satheesan sought a clarification from the party and alleged that they were a continuation of Pinarayi Vijayan’s anti-Malappuram statements. He urged the CPM to issue an apology and warned that strong action would be taken against anyone making communal remarks.

“The remarks made now are a continuation of the interview Pinarayi Vijayan gave to a national daily while he was Chief Minister, in which he allegedly denigrated Malappuram district, and the subsequent derogatory remarks he made. The CPM continues to pursue the same deplorable political policy it has followed for years of keeping people belonging to a particular religious community in the dark,” he said in a press release.

The statement said it was condemnable that the CPM was unwilling to correct itself despite people rejecting its communal propaganda in elections.

“They continue to remind us that the Sangh Parivar, which sows the poisonous seeds of communalism in the country, and the CPM in Kerala are no different from each other,” he added.