Police request to slap UAPA against Grow Vasu was vetoed: Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram: Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday said he had rejected proposals from Kerala police for slapping UAPA against social activists while serving as the home minister.

"Police wanted to arrest some activists including Grow Vasu of Kozhikode. It is true that they had organised meetings in solidarity of Maoist prisoners. But that was not a reason enough to incarcerate them under UAPA", the Opposition leader said during a dharna organised by Allen Thaha Human Rights Committee in front of the secretariat. Hundreds including social, cultural and academic leaders attended the programme organised demanding the release of Allen Shuhaib and Thwaha Fasal who have been jailed since November 1 last year on UAPA charges.

"Chief Minister could not disclose in Assembly the offences committed by Allen and Thaha. Police did not even claim that Allen and Thaha took part in any action. The NIA took over the case only because the Chief Minister who is arrogant and egoist gave his nod to the police for slapping UAPA charges against them," Chennithala said.

Writer Paul Zacharia inaugurated the gathering. He said the act of CPM to abandon Allan and Thaha is mysterious, especially since the CPM is known for providing all help for their workers who had been jailed for criminal activities.

"A number of officers in Kerala police are under the grip of communalism. It was a surprise for me that kids from hardcore left and secular families were arrested by the police," he said.

Veteran journalist BRP Bhaskar warned that Kerala should not be another Uttar Pradesh where having a particular name is deemed as a crime.