Action urged against Kerala lawmaker

Protests erupt amid molestation charge against ruling Marxist party’s Sasi

Protests erupted in different parts of Kerala yesterday over alleged laxity by officials in taking action against P.K. Sasi, the ruling party MLA facing a molestation charge.

Sasi is a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) Member of Legislative Assembly, representing the Shoranur constituency. A woman leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the CPM’s youth wing, informed the party leadership that the MLA had attempted to molest her at the party office in Mannarkad.

In one of the protests, workers of the Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, marched to the residence of Sasi at Mannarkad.

Police erected barricades to stop the protesters.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded police action against the MLA, but industry minister E.P Jayarajan played down the matter, saying the alleged victim had given her complaint to the party to take appropriate action.

The controversy about the MLA roaming free despite a case of molestation against him provided further fuel when the state Women’s Commission chairperson, M.C. Josephine declined to take note of the matter.

Josephine said it was up to the CPM to decide whether or not to hand over the complaint it received, to the police. “The party and the Women’s Commission are two different entities,” Josephine said when asked why the women’s commission was not taking suo moto action in the matter.

CPM veteran V.S, Achuthanandan also adopted a cautious approach, saying he would “study the matter” before making a comment.

The controversy was provided further fuel when the state Women’s Commission chairperson, M.C. Josephine declined to take note of the matter.

Youth leader suspended

Meanwhile, the CPM suspended a Democratic Youth Federation of India leader, R.L. Jeevanlal after he was alleged to have “misbehaved” with a woman colleague in the DYFI.

Unlike in the case involving the MLA, the woman complainant gave her petition to the police, who registered a case against him. Following the police action, the party suspended Jeevanlal.

According to the woman, Jeevanlal misbehaved toward her at a hostel for state legislators in the state capital, on July 10. The DYFI leader had offered her help in getting admission in an entrance coaching centre in Thiruvananthapuram. The alleged misconduct allegedly occurred after that.