CPI(M) expels two student activists held for Maoist links
The CPI(M) in Kerala on Sunday announced the expulsion of two party activists who were arrested in November last year under the UAPA for their alleged Maoist links. Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters here that Alan Suhaib and Taha Fazal, both students, used to "work with the CPI(M) and the Maoists simultaneously. "They are not CPI(M) members anymore.
The party has taken action against them," he said.However, Jameela, mother of Fazal, told reporters though the news of their expulsion hurt her, she was not ready to disown the party. "Yes. It hurts when such news comes out. None of the local party leaders have informed us about this.
I still believe in the party. Not going to disown the party," Jameela, whose family members are staunch Marxists, said. Balakrishnan was briefing the media after the two-day CPI(M) state committee meeting. He said the party has decided to counter the communal polarisation by RSS and SDPI.
"RSS has been attempting Hindu polarisation with chanting of 'Jai Sriram' while SDPI and Jamaath-e-Islami were trying to polarise Muslims using 'Bolo Thakbir' slogans. Both need to be kept at bay," he said.
Taha Fazal (24) and Alan Suhaib (20)--students of journalism and law respectively and the CPI(M)'s branch committee members, were arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on November 2 last year from Kozhikode, leading to widespread criticism in the Left-ruled state.
The case was taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) but Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking to hand over the probe to the local police saying the investigation was going in the right direction. When asked about the finding of CAG on missing rifles and live cartridges, Balakrishnan said the incident happened between 2013 and 2018.
"During the period, four DGPs changed. Regarding CAG findings there is a procedure to be followed and it has to be reported to Public Accounts Committee. Missing of cartridges may be a clerical error and it happens from time to time," he added.
The CAG report tabled in the state assembly on February 12, had stated that 25 INSAS rifles and over 12,000 cartridges had gone missing from the Special Armed Police battalion in the state capital and there was an attempt at a cover-up. It had also come down on the DGP for flouting norms to buy luxury vehicles and diverting funds meant for building homes for sub-inspectors for constructing villas for senior officers.
The opposition Congress latched on the report to attack the Chief Minister Vijayan on the CAG report, alleging such serious corruption cannot take place without his knowledge.
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