Congress MP Shafi Parambil, DYFI protesters spar over abusive slogans in Vatakara

Kozhikode(Kerala), Aug 27 (PTI) Congress MP Shafi Parambil and DYFI activists engaged in a verbal altercation on Wednesday after the Left-wing youth outfit members blocked his vehicle and allegedly shouted abusive slogans against him near Vatakara here.

Parambil, the MP from Vatakara, was returning from an event when the incident occurred.

His vehicle was blocked by activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) at an intersection in protest against the Congress not seeking the resignation of party MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment.

As police intervened to remove the DYFI protestors, some of them were heard shouting abusive words at the MP who had rolled down the window of his vehicle.

Angered by the abusive words, Parambil got out of the car and shouted back at the protestors that he cannot be scared away by such tactics.

"You have the right to protest. But, there is no need to use abusive words. Don't play too much. You think I will be scared by your insults? You will have to find someone else for that," he said as police tried to get him back into his car.

However, the Vatakara MP got out of the car and told a TV channel that everyone has the right to protest and the Congress was never scared of that.

"But, it is not correct to be vulgar in the name of protests. No one is going to be scared away from Vatakara by such tactics. We will be here only," Parambil said before returning to his vehicle.

Mamkootathil had recently quit as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of a prominent political party of misbehaviour, triggering protests by the BJP and DYFI, the CPI(M)'s youth wing. He was also facing an internal party probe.

Subsequently, several women and a transgender person came forward with similar allegations.

Following the release of audio clips of a purported conversation between the MLA and a woman, the Congress suspended him from the party's primary membership. PTI HMP HMP ROH