Dear brother.. Assalamu Alaikum
I hope you are well in this difficult time; Praying for that
Kerala’s relationship with Arab countries is centuries old. Thousands of Malayalees live in various Gulf countries, especially in the UAE. Throughout history, the rulers and generous people of Arab countries have stood by the people of India, especially the Keralites, at all times, if not all times of trouble. The situation was no different during Covid. All the rulers of the Gulf helped the expatriates to survive the crisis by providing them with food, accommodation, medical care and other facilities. Sadly, many foreigners and locals have lost their lives due to Covid in the Gulf as in other countries.
However, on June 24, 2020, the Kerala edition of ‘Gulf Madhyamya’, the Malayalam newspaper ‘Madhyam’ published a report with pictures of the Malayalees who died due to covid in the Gulf, making the news of the death of people from Kerala, demanding that the concerned authorities stop neglecting them and give them proper treatment. This report is aimed at defaming the Arab rulers and people who have been helping the people of places including Kerala for centuries. This report paints a picture of the Arab rulers in the minds of Keralites irrespective of religion and organization.
It should be understood that the reports of the Gulf media are against the facts and the interests of the Gulf countries. Therefore, this matter should be considered seriously and appropriate action should be taken against the newspaper. Otherwise, they will publish more reports in the future discrediting the Gulf rulers and their aid-seeking peoples by accepting funding from the Gulf. Therefore, due attention should be given to this issue and action should be taken. The newspaper in which the above report appeared and its Arabic and English translations are enclosed with this letter.
Your confidant
Abdul Jalil
Former minister KT Jalil has written the letter under the name of Abdul Jalil. Jalil sent the letter saying ‘very confidential’ after Swapna Suresh asked him to send the letter to him on WhatsApp. Meanwhile, Jalil confirmed in a press conference that he has sent a letter to the UAE. He sent the letter to Swapna on WhatsApp. Jalil said that UDF leaders have also sent a similar letter. He also asked if he would be hanged if he violated the protocol.
KT Jalil MLA said that he wrote to the UAE ruler not asking for a ban on media in the Gulf, but asking for action. During the peak of covid, the media had published a feature with the photo of those who died due to covid in the Gulf. He has sent a letter to the then UAE Consul General’s PA inquiring about its status. He also sent a copy of the same to the Consul General’s mail from his official mail id. Jaleel said in the press conference that he did not ask for any newspaper to be banned.