KOCHI: CPI(ML) Red Flag has condemned the government’s stand in the encounter killing of Maoists at Agali and invoking of UAPA against two students in Kozhikode. CPI(ML) Red Flag general secretary M S Jayakumar and state secretary P C Unnichekkan, after visiting the site at Agali, told reporters here on Wednesday that there was no situation that warranted a shootout at Manjikandi.
“When a shootout using AK47 and AK56 takes place, there are bound to have many bullet marks in the area. But we found only one bullet mark there. Manjikandi is located at a high point of a hill and any movement downhill can be easily noticed,” said Jayakumar.
He said CPI(ML) Red Flag opposes all kinds of armed revolutions. Even terrorists and Maoists have human rights. Commenting on the slapping of UAPA against two youths in Kozhikode, CPI(ML) Red Flag said it is against all harsh laws that infringe upon basic human rights.
“All the Left parties opposes harsh laws like the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA). UAPA is same as TADA. Government ruled by Left parties are charging UAPA on their own supporters,” said Unnichekkan.
‘Views of chief secretary are his personal opinion’
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T’Puram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday disassociated himself from the chief secretary’s controversial article that appeared in a daily newspaper on Tuesday. The chief minister said the chief secretary had not taken prior permission before publishing the article. He added that the article was the senior bureaucrat’s personal opinion and the government does not subscribe to his view. He also said the article will not influence the present operation initiated by the state government against the Maoists.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had sought the response of chief minister on the issue during the second day of the assembly. Interestingly, the chief minister didn’t fully disown the chief secretary on the issue saying there was nothing wrong in publishing article without prior permission. Rumours have been rife that the chief secretary’s article had silent concurrence of the top brass of the state government.