Violent clashes erupted in the city late Friday over the ‘questioning’ of Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its wide-ranging probe into the various aspects of the UAE consulate-linked gold smuggling case.
At least 10 activists of the Youth Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were injured after the police resorted to lathicharge the protesters who attempted to topple the barricades set up outside the Secretariat. The agitators braved the heavy downpour as they took out separate marches to the Secretariat by around 8.30 p.m. and burnt the Minister in effigies. Following several rounds of water cannon use and firing of tear-gas shells, the police lathicharged the agitators. Tension continued late into the night as protesters laid siege to the road in front of the Secretariat.
BJP State president K. Surendran, who led the party’s demonstration, said the agitation would continue until Dr. Jaleel stepped down. The party would observe ‘black day’ on Saturday in protest against the police excesses.
A top official with the Enforcement Directorate in New Delhi told The Hindu that Dr. Jaleel had appeared before the agency’s team in Kerala. The official declined to give further details.
Channel ‘disclosure’
However, the ‘disclosure’ by television channels that Dr. Jaleel had arrived at the ED office in a private car triggered a clamour for his resignation. Mr. Chennithala said Dr. Jaleel's ‘wrongdoings’ had brought the Central law enforcement to the doorstep of the government. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran said it was the first time that a Cabinet Minister had found himself on the wrong side of Central agencies.
The Minister was not immediately available for comments. However, in an interview with The Hindu on August 13, Dr. Jaleel had elaborated in detail on the issue. He had received 32 packets containing copies of the holy Koran from the consulate. He was willing to return the books if any agency pointed out violation of protocol or other international covenants. He said the packets remained unopened and were at the disposal of any investigating agency.
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