Kerala CM Requests Yogi Adityanath to provide expert health care to Siddique Kappan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday requested his Uttar Pradesh counterpart to intervene and ensure that Journalist Siddique Kappan, presently in custody under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the northern state, be provided expert health care.

Siddique Kappan admitted to KVM hospital in Mathura and kept chained to his bed even when his health condition had become precarious

In a letter to Yogi Adityanath, Vijayan said the Kerala Union of Working Journalists and some prominent media persons had brought to his attention that Kappan, who hailed from the southern state, suffered from heart ailments and had tested positive for COVID-19, due to which he was facing health issues. Kappan had been admitted to KVM hospital in Mathura and had reportedly been kept chained to his bed even when his health condition had become precarious, Vijayan said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media.

11 MPs sought intervention of Supreme Court 

The move comes on a day when 11 MPs of the opposition Congress-led UDF sought the intervention of Supreme Court Chief Justice N V Ramana for an urgent hearing of the case of Kappan. 

For the uninitiated, Siddique Kappan was arrested last October while he was on his way to Hathras, where a young Dalit woman died after being allegedly gang-raped. (PTI with edits)