CPI(M) accuses Congress of violating its own party constitution by not seeking Rahul Mamkootathil’s resignation as Palakkad MLA

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has accused the Congress of violating the latter’s century-old party constitution by being “fearfully hesitant” to seek the resignation of suspended Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing accusations of sexual misconduct, as Palakkad MLA.

CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan told a news conference on Friday that the Congress constitution underscored that a suspended Congress worker immediately lost the right to represent the party in any official capacity, including as legislator or MP. 

Nevertheless, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) was bashful about following the party’s century-old constitution in Mr. Mamkootathil’s case.

The Congress, he said, feared that more skeletons in its cupboard would spill out into the open if a vindictive Mr. Mamkootathil revealed information about the shenanigans of other leaders.

Mr. Govindan accused Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, whom he termed Mr. Mamkootathil’s mentor in the Congress alongside Shafi Parambil, MP, of having abdicated his civic responsibility by dismissing repeated complaints from a woman constituent about the predatory advances of the Palakkad MLA.

“The victim had damningly expressed her disenchantment with Mr. Satheesan, whom she once considered a protector and paternal figure,” he said.

Mr. Govindan said the factional wrangling over whether to rehabilitate or reject Mr. Mamkootathil has wrought new fissures in the faction-riven KPCC leadership.

‘Apologists increasing’

A galaxy of senior leaders, including women, have sought Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation on moral and ethical grounds. At the same time, Mr. Govindan stated that the number of apologists for Mr. Mamkootathil was increasing in the KPCC leadership every passing day, which he termed as a manifestation of the inherently misogynistic organisational culture of the Congress.

Mr. Govindan warned that more instances of Mr. Mamkootathil’s “sexual delinquency” would emerge in the public domain. “The legislators’ crimes against women will remain indelibly and scorchingly branded in public memory. The MLA has shamed the political class in Kerala,” he said.

Mr. Govindan said the Congress has reacted to the growing public wrath against Mr. Mamkootathil by unleashing street violence.

“On Wednesday night, Youth Congress workers threw flaming torches at police personnel blocking their march to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s official residence at the Cliff House. At Vadakara in Kozhikode district, Congress leader Shafi Parambil, MP, attempted to drive his car through CPI(M) protesters who were demanding the resignation of Mr. Mamkootathil. In Ernakulam and Kannur, Congress workers attacked journalists and vandalised news bureaus,” he said.