Pinarayi Vijayan’s tea note critical of students accused under UAPA comes to a close

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and his family are once again haunted by a four-word political memory.

Allan Shuaib, one of the accused in the sensational Pantheerankavu UAPA case, revived the former chief minister’s old ‘tea’ remark in a cryptic Facebook post targeting Mr Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and son-in-law PA Mohamed Riyas.

“I have only this to say to Pinaraya Vijayan, Riyas and Veena: Didn’t you go there for tea?” written by Mr Shuaib.

The post came amid the latest move by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the CMRL-Exalogic case regarding alleged financial transactions linked to Ms Veena’s company. Based on its findings, the ED sought action under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Mr. Vijayan and Mr. Riyas.

Mr Shuaib’s one-line post quickly gained attention on social media, with many praising him for turning Mr Vijayan’s own words back on him. Some described it as an appropriate response, while others said Mr Shuaib had every right to use the phrase after what happened to him in the UAPA case.

The link goes back to November 2019, when Mr Shuaib and his friend Thaha Fazal, both students at the time, were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on allegations of Maoist links. The arrest created a political controversy, including from sections of the CPI(M), as the students were SFI activists.

When asked about the arrests as Chief Minister, Mr. Vijayan defended the police action by saying the two were not picked up when they were out “for tea” but because of their alleged Maoist links.

The case was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Mr. Shuaib and Mr. Fazal spent extended periods in jail before securing bail.

Social critic MN Karassery described Mr Shuaib’s contribution as “poetic justice”.

“What goes around comes around,” Mr Karassery said, referring to the political reversals faced by former minister KB Ganesh Kumar and PC George. He said Mr. Vijayan was now beginning to eat the consequences of his own actions.

“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. That’s a universal theory,” he said.

Mr. Karassery also criticized Mr. Vijayan’s handling of the alleged Maoist cases, saying the Congress should have worked harder to ensure his defeat in the Assembly elections.

His comments went beyond Mr. Shuaib’s contribution and expanded on the electoral fortunes of Mr. Vijayan and Mr. Riyas. He said that a stronger opponent could have defeated Mr. Vijayan in Dharmadam and claimed that Mr. Riyas could have been defeated in Beypore as well if a stronger candidate contested against him.

Mr. Shuaib’s post contained no explanation or political argument. He simply borrowed a phrase from a controversy that once placed him at the end of state power.

This time the tea note was delivered back.

Published – 12 Sep 2026 07:22 IST