Congress MP Muraleedharan booked for derogatory remarks against 22-year-old woman mayor

A police case was registered against Congress MP from Kerala K Muraleedharan on the basis of Thiruvananthapuram city mayor Arya Rajendran's petition accusing the MP of making insulting remark.

Rajendran, who was in the limelight last year for being the youngest woman mayor in the country, lodged the petition against Muraleedharan at Museum police station in the city.

The Congress MP said at a protest meeting in front of the city corporation office on Monday that even as the mayor was "looking beautiful, what comes out of her mouth was more terrible than the 'Kodungallur Bharani songs'".

The Kodungallur Bharani songs are folk songs mixed with abusive words sung at the famous Devi temple in Kodungallur in Thrissur district during the famous Meena Bharani festival there. Such songs are sung by thousands of oracles assemble at the temple as part of a ritual on the occasion.

Based on the mayor's petition, the Museum police registered a case under IPC sections 354A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

Muraleedharan later stated that he was tendering an apology if his remarks had hurt the mayor personally.

"I regret if my remarks have caused mental distress to anyone personally. I do not hesitate to say it. I do not want any of my statements to hurt anyone personally", the Vatakara MP said in a Facebook post.

Both the CPI(M) and its youth outfit DYFI have flayed Muraleedharan for his remarks against Rajendran. She became the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 21 after the CPI(M)-led LDF swept the local body polls held last year.

(With inputs from PTI)

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