CPI(M) 'politicising' Mamkoottathil issue will not succeed: Congress leader Hassan

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 (PTI) Senior Congress leader M M Hassan on Sunday said the CPI(M)’s attempt to make political gains from the allegations against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil over alleged misbehaviour towards women would not succeed.

He noted that while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had demanded Mamkoottathil’s resignation and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan had announced protests against him, no such action was taken when "serious allegations" were raised against several MLAs, ministers and senior leaders within the CPI(M).

"If the CPI(M) is looking to politicise the Mamkoottathil issue, they will not succeed in their attempts," Hassan told reporters here.

"This indicates that these demands are politically motivated. Mamkoottathil resigned from the post of Youth Congress within 24 hours after an allegation was raised against him. Our party took a democratic and united stand for women and suspended his membership," he said.

Hassan questioned whether the CPI(M) had taken a similar stand when people close to the chief minister or other party MLAs faced allegations. "People in Kerala are watching them," he remarked.

The senior Congress leader also cited the case of LDF MLA Mukesh, against whom a rape case was registered.

"Then they (CPI(M)) said that if the allegations are proved fake after the probe, the party will be answerable to the people of Kollam who voted for him. Hence, his resignation from the MLA post was not demanded," he said.

Referring to the case of its own registered against Mamkoottathil, Hassan said: "The chief minister announced that anyone with a complaint could approach the police, who would provide protection." "The chief minister (Pinarayi Vijayan) is in search of a complaint now. Without anyone making a complaint or filing a case, an investigation team is formed. Let them appoint the investigation team; we have no complaints against it. But the party that is protecting women assaulters should not speak about a pro-women stand," he added.

He further alleged that, though the CPI(M) Polit Bureau had directed all state units during its 2022 Party Congress to form internal cells to examine complaints raised by women within the party, the Kerala unit had failed to do so even after three years.

"There are three to four Polit Bureau members from Kerala. CPI(M) parties in other states have formed it," he claimed.

On women leaders within the Congress demanding Mamkoottathil’s resignation, Hassan said: "The party gives its members the freedom to express their views. However, it is wrong to give such opinions before the party takes any decision." Regarding Mamkoottathil’s participation in the upcoming Assembly session, Hassan said it was his right as an MLA to attend.

"Whether Mamkoottathil attends an assembly session is his decision," he claimed.

Asked whether Congress would protect him, Hassan replied, "It is irrelevant, as he has been suspended from the party. There is a parliamentary party and its leaders. They will decide." Meanwhile, a Congress leader here lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief seeking a case against CPI(M) leader and former minister Kadakampally Surendran, following allegations by gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh of "misbehaviour" a few years ago.

The complaint, lodged by M Muneer of Ponthencode, came in the wake of police registering a case against Mamkoottathil without any woman lodging a complaint. Muneer argued that since Swapna’s allegations against Surendran were "of a similar nature", a case should be registered against him as well. PTI TBA LGK SSK KH