In the wake of protests from the BJP, CPI (M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on Friday that he had made no anti-national remarks but only criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after India's aerial attack on terror camps in Pakistan.
"What I said in my speech was I criticised Modi and I will continue to do so. If that's a crime, I am ready to go to jail," Balakrishnan told the media.
The BJP’s Kerala unit on Wednesday demanded the arrest of Balakrishnan for his alleged anti-national remarks.
Balakrishnan said on Tuesday that the aerial attack conducted by India was a ploy by the BJP-RSS combine to derail the general election process.
He added that the Modi government, instead of resolving the Kashmir issue, was trying to make the people of Jammu and Kashmir "enemies".
"When I was speaking that day, TV news channels were present and everyone can check the video of my speech," added Kodiyeri.
He added that the statement of Karnataka BJP leader BS Yedyurappa that the aerial attack on the JeM terror camp in Pakistan would help the party win more seats showed how the BJP politicises things.
"The attack (by IAF) is not a credit for the BJP. The entire credit should go for the brave Indian forces and not to one individual. The entire nation stands with the forces," he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, BJP Rajya Sabha MP V. Muraleedharan in a statement had alleged that Kodiyeri was speaking against India and supporting Pakistan, when our country is going through difficult times.
"Ever since the Chinese aggression, the Communists have always been speaking against our country and for this their leaders like EMS Namboodiripad had to even serve a jail term in the past and today Kodiyeri Balakrishnan is doing just that. This is all being done with an eye on the Muslim vote bank here," said Muraleedharan.