Senior CPM leader AK Balan on Saturday said he would not apologise to Jamaat-e-Islami Hind for his remarks about the organisation, rejecting allegations that he harboured anti-minority views.

“I have no intention of apologising to Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. If I have to go to jail for this, I am ready. I have spent 30 days in Kannur jail during my student days as well,” Balan said, adding that he was required to reply to a legal notice from the organisation within a week and noted that it sought compensation of ₹1 crore.

Earlier this week, the former minister had claimed that if the UDF returned to power, Jamaat-e-Islami would “rule the Home Department” and that one or more incidents like the Marad riots could be repeated in Kerala. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind strongly objected to the remarks and served a legal notice on him.

“There is a conscious attempt to insult me and my party by branding me as someone with an anti-minority mindset. My political life spans more than 60 years, during which I have served in various capacities after setting aside an attractive professional career,” Balan said.

Challenging the organisation, Balan said Jamaat-e-Islami Hind should clearly state its policies before the public. “Do they abide by the secular principles of the Constitution? Is secularism their goal? They should have clarified this publicly before sending me a notice,” he said.

Balan said the Chief Minister and the CPM leadership had backed him. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan defended the remarks on Thursday, saying Balan was only reminding the public of the Marad incident, which took place during a UDF regime. CPM central committee member Elamaram Kareem also supported Balan, describing Jamaat-e-Islami as an extremist organisation.

The CPM leader alleged that his remarks were telecast without full context and later amplified by the Opposition Leader. He said he had a fundamental right to express his opinion.

“I received the notice only on January 9, 2026. However, it was publicised even before the registered post reached me. That is a grave lapse,” Balan said.

He also argued that the notice lacked clarity. “I have not mentioned the name of the petitioner. I only expressed concern about communal tendencies. That does not amount to defamation,” he said.

Clarifying his stand, Balan said his remarks were intended to project the LDF as the political force capable of protecting Kerala’s secular fabric. “My point was that if the UDF comes to power with the support of Jamaat-e-Islami, it could influence the government and the Home Department, affecting communal harmony and leading to a repeat of incidents like Marad. There is nothing wrong in warning against a repeat of history,” he said.

He insisted he never stated that Jamaat-e-Islami would rule the state or formally control the Home Department.