Maoist links: CPM divided over UAPA on 2 accused
Sitaram Yechury told reporters in Delhi that resorting to the draconian Act was wrong.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM central and state leadership stands poles apart on the use of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against two youth, Taha and Alan Shuhaib, who have been accused of Maoist links.
On Tuesday, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury again expressed his opposition to invoking the UAPA against the youths who were arrested from Panthee-rankavu, Kozhikode, on November 2.
Mr Yechury told reporters in Delhi that resorting to the draconian Act was wrong. Asked whether the central leadership would take up the matter with the state unit, he said, “We have already conveyed that.”
Mr Yechury’s response once again reflected the party’s total disapproval of the law. A few days ago, he had expressed similar views to reporters in London. Apart from the negation of elementary democratic rights and human liberties, his party considered the amended UAPA as a major assault on federalism and the rights of the state, he said. Former CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, too, had criticised the Kerala police over the issue.