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Political row over UAPA charges against CPM workers in Kerala

Last Updated 23 January 2020, 14:20 IST

The UAPA charges against two young CPM workers in Kerala is snowballing into a political row within the ruling CPM while the opposition party, Congress-led United Democratic Front, was trying to cash in on it.

CPM workers from Kozhikode district in North Kerala, Alan Suhaib and Taha Fazal, were held by the police from Kozhikode in November and UAPA charges invoked against them accusing of maoist activities. The case was later taken over by the NIA.

While many CPM leaders, including general secretary Sitaram Yechury, had initially expressed resentment over invoking UAPA charges, Kerala Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan had indeed silenced them by defending the police action stating that the two were having maoist links.

However, on Thursday CPM Kozhikode district secretary P Mohanan expressed his resentment against framing the two as maoists. He said that the two youngsters might have been lured by some influences. The party should try to correct them instead of framing them as maoists. He also said that the two were still CPM members as party's internal inquiry about their maoist links could not be completed as the two were in judicial remand.

The CPM local leadership seems to have taken the fresh stand in the wake of attempts by the Congress to take political advantage of the issue. Congress leaders led by Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited the house of the two youngsters and extended support to them. Mr. Chennithala alleged that UAPA charges were invoked against the two without sufficient evidence.

The Congress's interventions has triggered allegations that the Congress was trying to play minority appeasement politics by utilising the issue. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's strong position against CAA has invoked support of a large section of Muslim community towards the CPM. This caused a concerns among the Congress leaders whether it would create cracks in its traditional Muslim vote banks.

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(Published 23 January 2020, 14:20 IST)

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