Kerala Congress President Mullappally Ramachandran has stoked a massive controversy after he was caught making vile comments against women. Speaking at a protest meeting organised by the Congress party to mark the UDF ‘betrayal day’ in Thiruvananthapuram, the Congress leader said that if a rape victim has any self-esteem she will either end her life by suicide or make sure that she will try not to be sexually assaulted again.
The former Congress MP was referring to the solar case accused, maintained that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cannot escape by bringing in a sex worker.
“Every day, this woman would wake up saying she has been raped by someone. The LDF has brought a sex worker as a desperate attempt against the UDF and made her tell tales. Chief Minister, this game will not work, this blackmailing will not work. One can understand when a woman is raped once. But she says she is repeatedly assaulted. A woman with self-respect will either die after she is raped once or will try not to be sexually assaulted again” Mullappally said reportedly.
Ramachandran was speaking at a protest outside Secretariat on Kerala formation day. After making vile comments, the Congress leader realised that his comments would snowball into a major controversy and apologised before the same crowd.
“My outburst was against the LDF Government and it was not my intention to hurt women’s sentiments. I am honestly apologizing for my defamatory comments,” said Mullappally.
The KPCC chief’s remarks have now met with sharp criticism after Kerala Women’s Commission chairperson MC Josephine and state health minister K K Shailaja slammed him for making such cheap comments.
Meanwhile, Kerala women panel chief MC Josephine said that the Kerala Women’s Commission would take action against the KPCC president.
“Mullapally’s comments cannot be tolerated. Rape is the most extreme form of attack a man can do to a woman and is highly condemnable. I vehemently disagree with the comments made by Mullappally. I also urge all the leaders to refrain from making such derogatory comments against women”, Josephine said.
Mullappally Ramachandran has a history of making such anti-women remarks. Earlier this year, he had termed the health minister KK Shailaja as ‘COVID Rani’ and even went on to refer to her as ‘Nipah Rajkumari’ inviting sharp criticism from the ruling government.
