<p class="title rtejustify">As more voices called for a police action on the sexual harassment allegation against CPM MLA P K Sasi, a senior minister in the CPM-led state government said the allegation was a party matter and the state government was not in a position to intervene.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Minister for Industries E P Jayarajan, who chairs Cabinet meetings in the absence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday that no complaint regarding the allegation was placed before the government.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Vijayan is currently in the US for a medical treatment.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"><span>“The party’s take on the matter will be stated by the party secretary,” the minister said.</span></p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"><span>Meanwhile, activists of the BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha staged protests against Sasi in Palakkad.</span></p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Sasi, the MLA from Shoranur in Palakkad district, is reported to have sexually harassed a Palakkad-based woman leader of the CPM-affiliated Democratic Youth Federation of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The woman claimed that the 61-year-old MLA tried to molest her in a party office in Mannarkad.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The CPM has commenced an internal probe on the allegation even as it faces criticism for having delayed action, though it received a complaint three weeks ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) said it would initiate action if the woman filed a formal petition regarding the reported abuse.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Commission chairperson M C Josephine pointed out that the complainant had not filed a petition with the KWC or made her allegation public.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“The party and the commission are two separate entities,” she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had, on Tuesday, confirmed having received a complaint three weeks ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The party has dismissed suggestions of handing over the complaint to the police.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Balakrishnan and the CPM central leadership have dismissed reports that the state unit initiated action only after the central leadership intervened.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The CPM, however, faces questions on treating the allegation as an entirely internal matter of the party.</p>
<p class="title rtejustify">As more voices called for a police action on the sexual harassment allegation against CPM MLA P K Sasi, a senior minister in the CPM-led state government said the allegation was a party matter and the state government was not in a position to intervene.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Minister for Industries E P Jayarajan, who chairs Cabinet meetings in the absence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday that no complaint regarding the allegation was placed before the government.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Vijayan is currently in the US for a medical treatment.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"><span>“The party’s take on the matter will be stated by the party secretary,” the minister said.</span></p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"><span>Meanwhile, activists of the BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha staged protests against Sasi in Palakkad.</span></p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Sasi, the MLA from Shoranur in Palakkad district, is reported to have sexually harassed a Palakkad-based woman leader of the CPM-affiliated Democratic Youth Federation of India.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The woman claimed that the 61-year-old MLA tried to molest her in a party office in Mannarkad.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The CPM has commenced an internal probe on the allegation even as it faces criticism for having delayed action, though it received a complaint three weeks ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) said it would initiate action if the woman filed a formal petition regarding the reported abuse.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Commission chairperson M C Josephine pointed out that the complainant had not filed a petition with the KWC or made her allegation public.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“The party and the commission are two separate entities,” she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had, on Tuesday, confirmed having received a complaint three weeks ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The party has dismissed suggestions of handing over the complaint to the police.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Balakrishnan and the CPM central leadership have dismissed reports that the state unit initiated action only after the central leadership intervened.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The CPM, however, faces questions on treating the allegation as an entirely internal matter of the party.</p>