The ongoing protest by Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) workers, associated with the CPI(M), has led another trader in Mathamangalam in Kerala’s Kannur district to shut shop. Afsal Hussain, who ran AJ Securetech IT Solutions, was allegedly physically assaulted and threatened by the CITU workers who have been on a strike in the area since December 2021. Earlier this month, Rabeeh Mohammed, a Gulf returnee who had started a hardware store called SR Associates was forced to shut shop due to protests and threats by CITU workers. Afsal (29) has also been compelled to flee town after alleged threats and the assault by CITU workers, and remains in an undisclosed location.
Like Rabeeh, Afsal had also returned from the Gulf after the first COVID-19 lockdown, and took loans to set up his shop. Afsal’s store is near SR Associates. “I set up CCTV cameras in shops and Rabeeh had once asked me to set one up in his shop. Since then, we used to have a good relationship. I used to purchase hardware components like pipes and wires for installation from Rabeeh, because he used to charge a reasonable price for the items,” says Afsal.
“A few days after the inauguration of SR Associates in August 2021, I went to the shop and saw both Rabeeh and his brother lying down after being manhandled. I took them to the hospital. Later the same day, I was questioned [by CITU workers] for interfering the matter, but I took him to hospital out of humanity, not to antagonise CITU,” Afsal, who is also the president of Muslim Youth League (MYL, affiliated to the Indian Union Muslim League), narrates. “After considering the matter, the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES, a trade organisation) group resolved the issue. I never had any issues with CITU members before,” says Afsal.
Afsal says that the issues began when CITU workers began the strike in December and warned him not to purchase products from SR Associates. CITU workers had set up a pandal in front of SR Associates in December after Mohammed Rabeeh hired workers from outside CITU for loading and unloading materials because he could not afford CITU’s rates. Later, Rabeeh got a favourable High Court order to get labour cards for the workers he had hired outside of CITU, which triggered the latter’s protest. The ongoing protest and threats led Rabeeh to shut shop on February 7, 2022.
After the threats against buying from SR Associates in December, Afsal alleges that he was followed by CITU workers on many instances. “I made a police complaint too,” Afsal states. He also denied CITU’s allegation that Afsal’s actions are politically motivated as he is part of IUML’s youth league. While MYL did call for a protest after Afsal was attacked, Afsal argues that it is natural for a group to support its member but the matter is not political but personal to him, due to the alleged assault. “Although I'm part of a political group, the issue is a personal one for me. The problem took a political turn even though I wasn’t trying to make it political,” adds Afsal.
On January 26, after Afsal was threatened by CITU workers not to buy products from SR Associates, he filed a police complaint. He alleges that he was stopped by a group of CPI(M) members who told him to withdraw his complaint, which he did out of fear. On February 2, he was allegedly manhandled by CITU workers which was captured by CCTV footage. A CCTV footage clip aired by Asianet shows a man being pushed by two people. However, Afsal said the more serious assault which resulted in him being injured happened in an area that was not covered by the CCTV.
“I was first admitted at the Peringome Medical College, and later moved to Kannur MIMS Hospital. Doctors told me that my hearing has been affected,” Afsal says. He also denied the CPI(M)’s claim that he had made fake medical certificates of his injuries by going to different hospitals.
Afsal alleges that on February 7, when he was dropping his sister to college, he was once again intimidated by a CITU worker. “A CITU worker, Ranjith, followed my car. My sister captured a video of the man following us also,” Afsal says. He adds that through the open window of his car, Ranjith allegedly caught hold of Afsal’s shirt and also tried to twist his sister's hand, who was holding Afsal out of fear. Ranjith also allegedly swung a sickle at Afsal. “I dropped my sister and called the police control room for help. I somehow reached Pariyaram police station and registered a written complaint,” says Afsal.
Ranjith was taken into custody from the CPI(M) office. “Police identified the vehicle number as well as the shirt worn by the accused, from the video. He was released in the evening. No further action has been taken until now,” Afsal alleges.
Afsal also claims that his written complaint for the incident that happened on February 2 has been modified by the police due to political pressure. He has resubmitted his medical documents, but has not received a response from the police yet, Afsal says. However, according to The New Indian Express, the police have denied inaction. Confirming that there was friction between Afsal and CITU workers, Payyannur Deputy Superintendent of Police K E Premachandran police had booked and arrested the CITU workers allegedly involved in the February 2 incident. He added that they were probing the February 7 attack and that there were some differences between the statements of Afsal and his sister.
According to the CPI(M) MLA M Vijin, Afsal’s complaints are fabricated. He told the media that CITU’s protest has been peaceful, and that they never tried to enter Rabeeh’s shop. He later added that Afsal was trying to provoke the CITU workers by buying from SR Associates and said that no trade unions have supported Afsal. The latter was in response to Afsal’s claim that the KVVES members visited him at his home after the alleged attack on February 2. Afsal says that due to COVID-19 norms, the KVVES decided not to protest. However, he also said that the MYL protested against the attack on him on February 3. “The only reason the league has protested is because I’m a member of their group. I know how difficult it will be for me to continue my business in the region, since the place now has a strong hold of unions like CITU,” he alleges.
On February 7, CITU Peringome Area Secretary MP Damodaran, who also alleged that Afsal’s claims are false, questioned the grounds on which the police arrested Ranjith from the CPI(M) office. He also threatened Station Inspector (SI) Rupa from Payannur police station, who made the arrest. “How dare you come to a party office in order to arrest a person? Who gave you the permission? You should know what is just, before entering the office. Don’t think that because you are a woman SI, you can do anything. If we had proper information on the arrest, we would have never let the SI Rupa arrest the man,” Damodaran said in a speech.