One after the other the ruling CPM in Kerala is courting controversies over its stand against women, especially senior officers, the latest being an insulting remark by CPM MLA S Rajendran against a woman IAS officer.
The MLA allegedly said that the Devikulam sub-collector Renu Raj lacked intelligence. He even allegedly addressed her with disrespect. With the issue snowballing into a major controversy, the CPM has decided to seek an explanation from the MLA. Meanwhile, the MLA came out with a counter allegation that the sub-collector had shown disrespect to him.
Recently the CPM had strongly flayed a police raid conducted by IPS officer Chaithra Theresa John at the party's district committee office in Thiruvananthapuram in search of some party workers wanted in a police station attack case. Though the Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan also flayed the women IPS officer's action, the IPS officers, including State Police Chief Loknath Behera, took a stand that the women IPS officer did nothing unlawful.
In another embarrassment to the CPM, a local court in Alappuzha district recently ordered that a case should be taken against CPM senior leader and Public Works Minister G Sudhkaran for the insulting remarks against a woman who was a member of is personal staff earlier.
Close on the heels of these, the alleged insulting remarks of CPM MLA S Rajendran came up. The CPM is quite worried over these incidents, especially since the Lok Sabha polls are in the offing.
S Rajendran, who represents the Devikulam constituency in Idukki district, allegedly made the insulting remark against Renu Raj on Friday in connection with a stop memo issued to an illegal construction at Munnar, a high-range tourism spot, in Idukki district. Some local media came out with reports that the MLA told a team of revenue officials that the sub-collector lacked intelligence and addressed her with disrespect. The officials went to the spot following information that construction was going on despite the stop memo.
As it became a controversy, Rajendran said that there was no need for him to apologise for the incident as his remarks were just natural reaction. The sub-collector spoke to him with disrespect, even without considering his age, he said adding that would give a complaint to the Speaker in this regard.
However, CPM Idukki district secretary K K Jayachandran said on Sunday that an explanation would be sought from Rajendran on the matter. The party would not tolerate any insult towards women.
Meanwhile, CPM leader and Electricity Minister M M Mani backed Rajendran stating that many senior officials were taking stands as per their wish at Munnar and this was leading to such issues.
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