CPM denies clearing Sasi of charge

Legislator was suspended for six months for misconduct towards woman

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) yesterday denied giving a “clean chit” to one of its legislators who was accused of misconduct towards a woman member of the party.

The party had formed a commission to look into the matter with P.K. Sreemathi, the CPM’s Lok Sabha member for Kannur, as one of the two members of the commission.

The Kerala unit of the CPM on November 26 suspended the Shornur Assembly constituency legislator P.K. Sasi for six months from its primary membership for misbehaving towards the woman.

Talking to the media in Delhi, Sreemathi rubbished the report that the party had cleared Sasi of the charges.

“I don’t know what report of the commission you [media] are referring to, our report never came out. We have taken action against Sasi,” Sreemathi said.

Doubts

However, the report that has now found its way to the media states that the woman’s complaint to the party came eight months after the incident.

The woman, in her complaint, had accused Sasi of misbehaving towards her at the party office around 11am on the day of the incident.

But the commission report has its doubts on the woman’s claims as the party office is crowded at that time of the day and such an incident could not have taken place without any witnesses.

The report also mentions that the commission believes the complaint may have other motives, as Sasi has mentioned that there is a conspiracy against him.

It concludes by saying though there is no evidence of any kind of misbehaviour by Sasi, he has been suspended as he did not conduct himself in a dignified manner befitting the image of the party.