Ground report: Development, arrest of youngsters under UAPA are poll issues in Kozhikode’s Valiyangadi

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) had drawn a lot of criticism from its cadres and liberal intelligentsia over the arrest of Alan Shuaib and Taha Fazal in Kozhikode.

Alan, 19, and Taha, 24, were arrested on November 1, 2019 for their alleged links with an outlawed Maoist outfit. They were slapped with the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). They spent 10 months in jail before being granted bail on September 9, 2020.

A year has passed since the arrest, but the issue resonates in the local body election campaign in Kozhikode after Alan’s father and former CPM functionary K Shuhaib Muhammed decided to contest from the Valiyangadi division in Kozhikode Corporation.

Shuhaib represents the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI). The party was formed by T P Chandrashekharan in Onchiyam in Vadakara in 2009. Chandrashekharan was hacked to death allegedly by CPM workers in 2012.

“I am contesting the election to raise contemporary issues,” Shuhaib said, hinting that the arrests of Alan and Taha are indeed an election issue.

“If you wish to be identified as a Leftist in the State, you have to remain silent on many issues. You are supposed to air your views only on select topics. If you defy the norm, you will be termed anti-left. This culture has silenced many intellectuals and youngsters,” he said.

Shuhaib is a well-known theatre activist in Kozhikode. He is part of several theatre groups in the city. He even acted in the movie, Amma Ariyan, directed by Malayalam’s avant garde filmmaker John Abraham.

His association with CPM lasted for 25 years. During this period, he served as the secretary of the party branch in Kuttichira in Kozhikode city.

He said he quit the CPM when the party card became a liability. “I cannot remain a mute spectator when I see human rights violations and police raj around me. I had participated in protests when I was a party member many years ago. But things have changed now,” Shuhaib said.

Poll issue

His candidature has forced political parties to address the issue of police raj in their election campaign.

Many voters this correspondent spoke to said they were saddened by the arrests of the two youths on flimsy charges. “Their arrest became an election issue only because of Shuhaib’s candidature. The LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan has failed to rein in the police,” said a CPM sympathiser Sukumaran who lives in Mavoor Road.

Alikkoya who lives in Kuttichira said the LDF government has given a free hand to police to slap UAPA charges on citizens. “This is highly condemnable. Alan and Taha should get justice. This is a major election issue.”

The local body polls in Kozhikode district are scheduled for December 14.

Valiyangadi is one of the largest wards in the corporation. It stretches from the commercial hub of Mavoor Road to Kozhikode beach.

LDF’s Thomas Mathew (Loktantrik Janata Dal) and UDF’s CK Aboobaker (Congress) and NDA’s Akshay Takrar (BJP) are the other prominent candidates in the fray.

Arrest not an issue, says LDF

Thomas Mathew said the arrest of Alan and Taha is not an election issue in Valiyangadi. “People are not bothered about it. The real fight is between LDF and UDF. Shuhaib's candidature will not impact the result,” he said.

Mathew said development tops the agenda of all political parties. “Because voters prefer only those who will bring development,” he said.

UDF candidate Aboobaker said the LDF regime, which ruled the corporation for years, did not give Valiyangadi its due and voters would give a befitting reply this time. “Valiyangadi is the commercial hub of Kozhikode. But street lights are defunct here. There is no proper mechanism for waste disposal. People face stray dog menace. These are campaign issues for us,” he said.

Voters sounded their concerns about the poor facilities.

Anil Kumar, who lives near Mananchira, said Valiyangadi contributes a major chunk of the corporation’s revenue, but the officials pay little attention to the people’s needs. “Our roads are narrow. We don’t have enough public parking spaces. Waste disposal too has many shortcomings,” he said and added that he would vote for those who genuinely promise to bring development.

RMPI may mar UDF chances

Political observers said Shuhaib’s entry would split anti-LDF votes and might mar the chances of UDF candidate SK Aboobaker.

UDF and RMP have electoral understanding in many parts of Kozhikode district, but they failed to reach a deal in the corporation.

Aboobaker said RMPI took a wrong decision by fielding its candidate in a UDF stronghold. “Alan and Taha were arrested by Pinarayi Vijayan's police. If RMPI is keen to teach CPM a lesson, it should have fought against a party candidate,” he said.

Shuhaib did not agree. “I know the voters in Valiyangadi personally because I have been working among the people here for many years. My party considered only the winnability factor while deciding to field me,” he said.

In the last election in 2015, Janata Dal (United)’s Jayshree Keerthi defeated CPI’s V Haseena by 517 votes. JD(U) was a Congress ally at that time.

“JD (U) won the seat with strong Congress backing. We will show our strength this time,” Aboobaker said.