Pantheerankav UAPA case is back in limelight

Kozhikode: CPM leader MA Baby's FB post expressing happiness over Alan and Thaha getting bail in the Pantheerankav UAPA case fired the salvo for a debate.

"NIA alleged the students of having Maoist connection and there is no allegation of them involving in any unlawful activities. CPM is against imposing UAPA on politicians. All political prisoners should be given bail" he said in the post.

His post received comments targeting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Some asked without pulling punches whether MA Baby forgot the fact that the dark law was imposed by police under CPM rule.

The debate was raging among the party members under the CPM South Area committee that had passed submission against the imposition of UAPA against party workers.

Many alleged that police went overboard by imposing on party workers a law that the party is opposing.

Also, many cited lack of any further evidence against the duo. The debate raged from TM Thomas Isaac's visit to the students' homes to CPM district secretary PM Mohanan's initial support to them to CM Pinaray's comment that they were not arrested while having tea.

People shared news clippings to corroborate their arguments.

Opposition leader responded to Baby's post saying that students were the victims of CPM's double standard and he sought MA Baby's intervention to correct the chief minster first.

Meanwhile, left-wing author Sunil P Ilayidam asked the party to introspect and be self-critical on the issue, while dubbing the jailing of the duo as against policy of the left.

District leaders of the party have not commented on the issue yet.