Kerala CPM flays Kozhikode mayor’s participation in RSS-affiliate event

The CPM leadership in Kerala censured a city mayor—a party member—for attending an event conducted by an organisation associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Kozhikode mayor Beena Philip participated at a mothers’ meet on Sunday organised by Balagokulam, an RSS-affiliated organisation. Her comment at the meet, organised in connection with the upcoming Sri Krishna Jayanti celebrations, that north Indians took better care of children was also widely criticised.

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The Congress used this incident to accuse the CPM of being in cahoots with the RSS in Kerala, and asked the ruling party to take action against the mayor, if the party, too, took exception to Philip’s actions.

The CPM district secretariat, consequently, issued a statement saying that her participation at the event was against CPM’s principles, and that the party openly rejected the mayor’s stand.

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Philip, on her part, said that she attended the event as it was a meet of mothers. She also said that the party had not banned her from attending such public events.

She also clarified that her statement about north Indians was a manipulated version of a portion of her speech. According to her, she had meant to say that north Indian families were more considerate towards the children in their neighbourhoods.