Congress extends support to arrested CPM youths

Kozhikode: Congress leader in Kerala Ramesh Chennithala met the two CPM youths in judicial custody who Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused of being Maoists.

This comes at a time when a court in Kochi on Tuesday decided to hand over the two youths to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Chennithala arrived at the residences of the youths and pledged his full support to them as he assured their parents that the party will take up this issue in the Assembly.

The two students of law and journalism, Allen Shuaib and Thaha Fazil, both CPM workers, were arrested in November from their home town in Kozhikode, after the police recovered Maoist leaflets that condemned the government's action in Jammu & Kashmir.

Speaking to the media here after concluding the house visit, former State Home Minister Chennithala told the media that the two youths have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and it appears now that there is no difference between Vijayan and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"Normally when UAPA cases are registered they are based on clear cut rules, but in this case, it has not been followed. Vijayan, himself has been saying the youths are Maoists, if so, why is he not coming out with the evidences? And now the case has been handed over to the NIA. I have assured the families that the opposition will take this up in the Assembly," said Chennithala.