KOZHIKODE: The police, who could not distinguish between ‘Maoism’ and ‘Porattam,’ caught hold of two political activists in 2016 and slapped UAPA charges against them. But the political leaders, who are shouting themselves hoarse about the police action against two youths, Alan Suhaib and Thwaha Fasal, had kept quiet then. And the two Porattam leaders had to suffer in silence.
‘Porattam’ leader Gouri M, a woman belonging to Kattunayakan tribe, was arrested on May 6, 2016, at Vellamunda in Wayanad when she and fellow comrade Chathu, 67, were planning to stick a poster calling for the boycott of assembly elections. The UDF was in power and they were held just 10 days ahead of the elections. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act section 39 (offence related to support given to a terrorist organisation) and sedition charges under IPC 124A were slapped on them. Though ‘Porattam’ is not a banned outfit and the police did not seize any Maoist literature/banner from her, Gouri, 29, mother of a four-year-old boy, did not receive any public sympathy.
Gouri, who spent six months and 24 days in Kannur Central Prison, told TNIE, “We have no connection with the banned outfit CPI (Maoist) and we are leaders of the legitimate political outfit ‘Porattam.’ Yet everyone believed the police claims. The CPM-led government with its aversion to UAPA has not shown any concern,” she said. Gouri, Wayanad district convener of ‘Porattam,’ and Chathu, joint convenor, are out on bail now and have to appear at the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court at Kalpetta twice a month.
“There were no issues when we conducted many ‘Porattam’ programmes earlier. We went to paste the posters at Niravil Puzha, Vellamunda, not in the dark but around 3pm, but someone alerted the police who booked us as Maoists. We shouted ‘Porattam’ slogans, but the police gave them a Maoist slant,” Gowri said.
The charge against her of sticking a similar poster at Thalappuzha was a police manipulation. She was arrested for the incident after she spent 90 days in jail in the first case. After her release on bail, the colony residents at Mallikapaara, Tholpetty, refused to accept her due to police threat, she said. Gouri’s and Chathu’s case registered in 2016 didn’t come up before the statutory authority set up in 2018 to look into the UAPA cases for prosecution clearance. Gouri felt that Alan and Thwaha, CPM workers, were booked by the police under UAPA over a fabricated case. Gouri, her husband Ashraf and two kids are staying at Appapara near Mananthavady now.