Hamas leader took part in protest programme in Kerala virtually, alleges state BJP chief

Kerala BJP chief K Surendran on Saturday alleged that Hamas leader Khaled Mashal had participated virtually in a protest programme organised by an Islamist group in the state against Israel's war with the militant outfit.

In a Facebook post, Surendran claimed Mashal's participation in the event organised by the Solidarity Youth Movement, the youth wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, on Friday.

Sharing a poster displaying Mashal's participation in the event organised by the district wing of the Movement in Malappuram, the BJP leader alleged that the situation had reached this extent in traditionally secular Kerala.

"Terrorist leaders of Hamas themselves take part in events (in the state). It was virtual participation only because he didn't obtain a visa. The organisers' intentions were evident...," Surendran said.

The BJP chief urged both Kerala police and central agencies to investigate the incident further.

However, Suhaib C T, state president of the Solidarity Youth Movement, justified the virtual participation of the Hamas leader.

"He took part in our programme organised to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and to condemn the onslaught by Israel. No need to see anything unusual in that," he told PTI.

He said Hamas is not an organisation that is operational in India or a banned outfit, and so his participation is not a crime under the law.

There would be many more solidarity events in India, which would prove the support of the Indians for the Palestinian people, Suhaib said.