Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan on Wednesday said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement that the money amassed through gold smuggling is being used for anti-national activities is very serious.

Speaking to media persons in Kozhikode on Wednesday, he said even though the Chief Minister knew that the anti-national activity was going on with the money amassed through gold smuggling, he concealed it from the Governor. While it was explained to the media, the Chief Minister kept the Governor in the dark on it, he said. The CM had revealed this in a press conference on September 21, the Governor said.

“The Chief Minister should come forward and tell us what action has been taken by the government against the gold smugglers who have indulged in anti-national activities,” said Governor Khan, adding, “It does not matter if the Chief Minister denied the content in the interview published in an English daily.”

Aletter will be sent to the Chief Minister asking for a report on the gold smuggling and the anti national activities,” he said.

A report was sought from the Chief Minister earlier on phone tapping allegations, the report has not been received even after a week, the Governor said, and added” Will wait a little more time, further action will be taken after that. He made the remarks following CM Vijayan’s interview with an English daily in which he said that money from gold smuggling through Karipur International Airport in Malappuram district and hawala transactions was used for “anti-state” and “anti-national activities.

During an interview with the daily, CM Vijayan claimed that over the past five years, 150 kg of gold and hawala money worth Rs.123 crores had been seized in Malappuram, suggesting that these funds were being utilized for anti state and anti national purposes. His assertion that Malappuram is becoming a centre for such activities was met with sharp criticism from various political and social organizations.

Coming under fire for trying to project Malappuram as a crime hotspot in his interview, Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that his words were misinterpreted and taken out of context. He said the daily has admitted that there was a mistake on their part in publishing a remark which was not part of the original interview. He clarified that the controversial remarks were wrongly attributed to him.