Thiruvananthapuram | CPI(M) leader A K Balan on Saturday said if the Congress-led UDF comes to power in Kerala with the backing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, it will result in the "destruction of the state".
Balan, at a press conference held here, said that he will keep repeating this warning again and again.
The CPI(M) also held up a copy of the 'Quran' and said it talks about 'munafiks' who are "fake believers".
"I am not that. I am a believer and a communist who is loyal to the workers," he said and added that if he is sent to jail for defamation over his remarks about the Jamaat-e-Islami, the first thing he would do is finish reading the Quran.
He was speaking to reporters in the wake of a legal notice sent to him by the Jamaat-e-Islami and the vehement criticism against him by Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan over the CPI(M) veteran's remarks linking the UDF with the religious organisation.
Satheesan had termed Balan's remarks as "dangerous and communal".
The Jamaat-e-Islami, the state chapter of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, had on Wednesday sent a legal notice to Balan demanding Rs 1 crore as compensation, alleging that his remarks against it were derogatory and defamatory.
On Saturday, in response to the legal notice, Balan said that everything attributed to him in it is "baseless and misleading, and intends to insult, condemn and defame him and the CPI(M) before the general public".
He claimed that in his over 60 years of public work, he has always spoken out against fascism and communalism to protect the minorities and never made any non-secular remarks.
"It will be like that till my end," he added.
Balan said that the Jamaat-e-Islami, before sending him a legal notice, ought to have clarified its aim and ideology, as it talks of setting up a religion-based nation.
He claimed that his remarks to the media about the Jamaat-e-Islami and their support to the UDF were misrepresented to show him as communal.
"Expressing concern about the dangers of communalism is not defamation," he contended.
He also said that he had remarked that if UDF comes to power with the help of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the religious organisation will have influence over the government and will control the Home Department.
"I did not say anything that will harm the communal harmony in the state," he clarified.
Balan also said that if his party has any objection regarding his remarks, then whatever the CPI(M) directs him to do, he will follow immediately.
"However, the CM and the party leaders have clarified their stand on the matter," he added.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday had defended Balan by saying that the Marxist leader was only reminding people about a different picture of Kerala that existed in the past when he referred to the Marad riots.
Balan further said that the Jamaat-e-Islami need not pursue a defamation case in the hopes of getting even a penny from him.
"I will not give them a penny till I die. If they are so poor, I can tell them ways to earn money. I will also not apologise in this matter," he emphasised.