The Kerala Gold Smuggling Scandal: A Political Tug of War

Kerala’s political landscape witnessed a heated exchange on the issue of gold smuggling as Governor Arif Mohammed Khan hit out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s recent comments. Khan accused Vijayan of keeping significant information secret, raising concerns about national security and integrity.

Governor Khan, seeking clarity, summoned the Chief Secretary and the DGP for a straight explanation on allegations of gold smuggling activity funds linked to anti-state and anti-national efforts, along with allegations of wiretapping. Vijayan retaliated, claiming that the summons without proper protocol was beyond the governor’s constitutional rights.

The controversy has stirred political discourse, with the CPI(M) accusing the media of perpetuating misleading narratives, while the Congress-led UDF criticized Vijayan for portraying Malappuram district negatively. The gulf between state leaders highlights the complexity and heated nature of the ongoing scandal.

(With contributions from agencies.)