'I sincerely express regret’; Minister Saji Cherian withdraws statement on communal polarization

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Saji Cherian expressed regret on his controversial remarks. The minister stated that if anyone was hurt or distressed due to a misunderstanding of what he said, without understanding his true intention, he sincerely expresses his regret and withdraws the statement. Saji Cherian's controversial remark was that communal polarization was evident in the recently held elections to local self-government institutions. It can be understood from the names of the candidates who won in the elections held to the Malappuram district panchayat and Kasaragod municipality.

Saji Cherian had said that to understand the communal polarization being carried out by the UDF, it is enough to check the names of the candidates who won in Malappuram in the local body elections. Isn't this happening in many states in India, asked the minister. We should read the names of those who won in the Malappuram district panchayat. What is the state of our country? The minister said Kerala should not be made like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The minister has withdrawn the statement after the remark stoked a controversy.

‘I was deeply pained at the campaign being carried out after distorting my words against a section. The present untrue campaigns are hurting my secular stance that I have adopted and maintained in my life till now.

Questioning my public life where I love and work for all human beings equally, beyond religious thinking and without any caste or religious differences by placing it in the camp of communalism is something I can never tolerate.

As a CPM worker who has constantly responded strongly against attacks on minority groups across the country, my public life for the last 42 years has not been in harmony with any communalism. As a result of all this, I have also faced many hardships and that is something that the people of my hometown and those close to me know.

Although my statement was distorted, I understand that the campaign has caused difficulty and pain to my brothers. It also hurts me that some individuals, spiritual organizations and spiritual leaders whom I respect have misunderstood me. ‘If what I said was misunderstood and caused any difficulty or pain to anyone without understanding my intentions, I sincerely regret it. I withdraw my statement,’ Saji Cherian clarified.