I am a journalist, representing a committee called Alan-Thaha Human Rights Committee based in Calicut, Kerala, India. 

Alan Shuhaib and Thaha Fazal are very young students, from the city, who were arrested by the Kerala police on November 1, 2019, under the UAPA on charges of alleged Maoist connections, which they have strongly denied. Both the boys are known as socially concerned youngsters.  

We demand that these youngsters be released forthwith and the charges against them dropped as they were never known to be involved in any kind violent activities whatsoever. But unfortunately, their case is now with the NIA under the Central Government and hence the Kerala government says it has nothing to do with it. In fact, the Chief Minister has said these youngsters are indeed Maoists. 

But being sympathetic to any ideology, if at all one entertains it, cannot be a crime that warrants incarceration. Hence we request the Chief Minister and the Government of Kerala to invoke Section 7(b) of the NIA Act, that allows the state government to ask the Centre to restore the case to its agencies and proceed with investigations. This could help the two youngsters receive speedier justice.