The Kozhikode district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is holding general body meetings of its local committees from Monday to explain the party’s position related to the arrest of two of its activists for alleged Maoist links under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UAPA] recently.
The CPI(M) leadership has consistently opposed the UAPA, terming its provisions draconian. However, the arrest of its members, that too on the charge of having links with the CPI (Maoist), is learnt to have put the party in a dilemma.
Inquiry panel
Taking action against Alan Shohaib and Thaha Fazal, law and journalism students respectively, might be construed as an endorsement of the Maoist link. Supporting their cause too is riddled with problems. So, the party is guarded in its response and has set up an inquiry commission to probe into the issue.
A section of the leadership is learnt to have sought action against the two. P. Mohanan, Kozhikode district secretary, CPI(M), went so far as to say that they need not swallow whatever the police say and the party had its mechanism to figure out what had happened.
Meanwhile, there are reports that there could be a demand to expel the youngsters at the local committee general body meetings, though they could not be confirmed.
The police had sought the two in their custody for further interrogation. Alan and Thaha’s bail application, however, is expected to be taken up in the High Court on November 14.
