JOIN USUAPA against Kerala CPM workers likely to be revoked
The charges of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act invoked against two CPM workers in Kerala are likely to be revoked in view of the strong protest even from the ruling CPM in the state.
Even as the police maintained that the two accused, Alan Suhaib and Taha Fazal, had links for several years, Kerala state police chief Loknath Behera said so far, only the preliminary investigation has taken place. He added that a decision on whether UAPA charges would stand against the two on not would be taken after a detailed investigation by the ADGP (Law and Order) would.
While Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was yet to react on the matter, senior CPM leaders, including the Left Democratic Front convenor in Kerala, A Vijayaraghavan and CPM politburo member M A Baby, openly flayed the police action. CPM state secretariat also issued a statement expressing differences over the decision to invoke UAPA against the two youths.
UAPA in about 40 cases were revoked
The decision of the police to invoke UAPA against the two party workers caused much embarrassment to the CPM, as the Left-front, while in the Opposition, had strongly opposed invoking UAPA by the police during the term of previous Congress government in the state. The present CPM government even ordered a review of the UAPA cases as soon as it came to power and UAPA charges in around 40 cases were revoked.
While CPM leaders alleged that the two youths, who were remanded to 14 days, were charged with UAPA only on the charges of possessing pamphlets condemning the Maoist killings, the police maintained that the two were involved in Maoists activities in the urban areas over the last few years and were even suspected to have links with Maoists operating inside the forests.
The Opposition Congress is also making use of the opportunity to accuse the Pinarayi Vijayan government of having lost control over the police. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded the resignation of Kerala Chief Minister, taking moral responsibility for the 'police raj' in the state.
The issue is likely to rock the Kerala Assembly in the coming days, forcing the Chief Minister to comment on the matter.