Thiruvananthapuram : Senior Kerala politician PC George was taken into custody by police for his alleged controversial remarks about radical Muslims. Police said cops from the Fort police station here took George into custody from his residence in Kottayam district in the early hours on Sunday. Police produced him in the judicial magistrate court and he got bail.
After he was granted bail, PC George told reporters that his arrest was a Ramzan present by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the radical Muslim groups. He also said that he had said in his speech that he does not want the support or vote of radical groups, of any religion, who do not love the country.
Police on Saturday had registered a case against George alleging that his speech at Anthapuri hindu conclave Thiruvanathapuram promoted religious hatred. Police at the Fort police station took suo motu action against the former legislator on the directions of the state police chief .
George, who was booked under section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code, is being brought to Thiruvananthapuram, police said. The former Kerala Congress politician had sparked off a controversy by asking non-Muslims in Kerala to avoid restaurants run by the community.
Addressing a programme organised as part of the ongoing Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan here on Friday, he had alleged that tea laced with drops causing impotence were sold in Muslim-run restaurants to turn people infertile in a bid to seize control of the country. The 70-year-old politician, who represented the Poonjar constituency in the state Assembly for 33 years, had also Muslims who trade deliberately mix infertility drugs in their drinks. The complaint alleges that Muslims are trying to increase their population and turn it into a Muslim country, with Muslim priests distributing food after spitting three times, and that Muslim traders have set up their establishments in non-Muslim areas and plundered their wealth.
The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress had condemned his remarks. Muslim Youth League, the youth outfit of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), wanted his arrest.
Police took George to Thiruvananthapuram , BJP supporters and workers to extend their wishes and support to him on the way. Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan being denied permission to enter the AR camp where the police first keep him before produce the court.
After he was denied permission to enter the AR camp, Muraleedharan, speaking to reporters there, questioned the haste behind the arrest of the 70-year old politician. The minister said that such haste was not shown in connection with the killings of BJP workers and leaders in the state. He said that George was neither a terrorist or a criminal, he was a well-known politician, a former MLA and therefore, why the haste in arresting him.
Muraleedharan further said that the action was being taken based on a complaint by the Muslim Youth League and alleged that the government in Kerala would arrest anyone in minutes if a complaint is made by the youth league.
George has made similar remarks in the past but no case has been registered. When he said his opinion in a Hindu Conclave, then he was arrested. This is the latest example of the anti-Hindu attitude of the Kerala government
Discussion about this post