Kochi, Mar 31 (PTI) Actor Salim Kumar on Tuesday took a swipe at the LDF over the Sabarimala gold loss incident, saying a “comrade” could replace potassium cyanide in separating gold from other metals.

Kumar, a known UDF supporter, made the remarks at Kalamassery while campaigning for Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate V E Abdul Gafoor.

Kerala will go to the polls on April 9.

Addressing a gathering, he said a case had recently been registered against him over remarks made during Congress leader V D Satheesan’s campaign, alleging that he had ridiculed persons with mental illness.

Kumar clarified that his earlier remarks were directed at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, citing examples of a child and a businessman who had come to Kerala from abroad and praised the state’s roads and business environment.

He said that during the campaign, he had remarked that the boy and the businessman were later sent to a mental health centre in Oolampara.

“There were no such persons and no such mental health facility. This reflects the situation here,” he said.

Kumar said a case had been filed seeking to bar him from participating in political campaigns.

He added that, considering the request, he would refrain from political campaigning, but saw no issue in speaking about chemistry.

“It is using potassium cyanide that gold is separated from other metals. The new CPI(M) invention is that wherever there is gold, just send a comrade there. He will separate the gold and turn it into brass,” he said, indirectly targeting the Left party over the Sabarimala gold loss incident.

CPI(M) leaders were arrested in connection with the case related to the loss of gold from temple artefacts at Sabarimala.

Kumar said that after attending Satheesan’s campaign, he and his son were heavily targeted on social media.

He added that he had advised his son not to take it seriously, as those behind the attacks were acting out of habit.

“Don’t expect anything good from them,” he said.

Kumar also said that messages were being circulated on social media calling for a boycott of his films.

Quoting a dialogue from the Malayalam film ‘Mayavi’, he said he was unfazed by such attacks.

He also recalled his association with former minister V K Ebrahimkunju, father of Gafoor, and said he had regularly participated in his election campaigns due to their close friendship. PTI TBA SSK