Thiruvananthapuram | UDF MLA A K M Ashraf on Wednesday raised in the Assembly the issue of alleged communal remarks by BJP leader P C George, questioning why the state government was not taking action against him.

Attacking the Left government over the issue, Ashraf, an IUML legislator, asked if George had been given a licence to say whatever he wanted.

Ashraf, during the discussion in the Assembly on demands for grants under various heads in the Budget for the financial year 2025-26, alleged that George "makes communal statements whenever he speaks".

The MLA said that in the past the BJP leader made communal statements against Muslims, shocking everyone.

"After he came out on bail, he alleged that 400 girls have been lost to 'love jihad' in Meenachil Taluk alone of Kottayam," Ashraf said and questioned why the government was unable to take strict action against such persons.

He further asked why the police could not arrest George for violating his bail conditions and pointed out that the Karnataka government has set an example by jailing persons who make communal statements.

There was no response to his contentions from the ruling front in the House.

George was out on bail in connection with a hate speech case when he recently urged the Christian faithful to marry off their daughters by the age of 24, claiming that 400 girls have been lost to 'love jihad' in Meenachil Taluk alone.

He made the controversial remarks while addressing a special conference in Pala on Sunday under the leadership of Bishop of Pala diocese, Joseph Kallarangatt, and the Temperance Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) against the menace of drugs.

'Love jihad' is a term used by BJP and right-wing leaders who claim Hindu women were lured into marriage by Muslim men through Islamic jihad.

In 2020, the Centre had said the term 'love jihad' is not defined under the existing laws and no case of 'love jihad' has been reported by any of the central agencies.

A few weeks ago, George, a former MLA, was arrested for delivering a hate speech against a minority community during a TV channel discussion.

George, who had been sent to judicial remand in connection with the case, was granted bail on February 28.