Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman clarified his recent “Pakistan” analogy, stating that it was misinterpreted by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). He explained that his comparison was purely political, likening the electoral competition in Tirur to an India vs Pakistan match without intending to offend anyone. Abdurahiman accused the IUML of distorting his words for political gain, attributing the criticism to their apprehension of losing the ongoing election battle.
The minister also addressed concerns regarding campaign visuals featuring prominently his image, emphasizing the Left’s collective leadership approach. Abdurahiman defended the presence of his image in the campaign materials, stating that as a leader within the collective, it was natural for his image to be displayed and should not be a cause for alarm.
The controversy arose from a speech delivered during a campaign event in Tanur, where Abdurahiman drew a cricket analogy to describe the political scenario. Referring to past victories and the current competition, he remarked, “We played two matches in Tanur, which was in Pakistan, and we defeated them both times. Now the third match is on home ground.”
The event, featuring singer Hanan Shah, sparked immediate backlash from the opposition, with the IUML condemning the remarks as insulting to Tanur and diminishing national sentiments. United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Kurukkoli Moideen criticized Abdurahiman, drawing parallels with previous instances where references to Pakistan were used to target opponents. Moideen hinted at potential legal or political actions by the party leadership in response to the situation.
As campaigning escalates, this incident has injected further rhetoric into an already intense electoral race in the region, highlighting the delicate balance between political metaphor and controversy. Kerala is gearing up for polls on Thursday to elect 140 new legislators.
