State Women’s Commission chairperson MC Josephine kicked up a controversy after she claimed that her party Communist Party of India (Marxist) was both a court and a police station.
According to the reports, Josephine said this to the media while speaking on the issue of Kadinamkulam incident wherein a woman was sexually harassed by her husband and his friends.
Responding to questions regarding allegations against CPM leader PK Sasi, Josephine said there was no need for the commission to investigate the matter when the victim herself said that an investigation by the party itself would be enough.
Women’s panel chief was in reference to complaints aginst CPI(M) MLA PK Sasi
Josephine, who is also a CPM central committee member, made this shocking remarks while responding to questions on the commission’s indifference in handling cases where communist leaders are accused. A reporter had asked regarding the Commission’s stand on certain cases against CPI(M) leaders.
“I may be the Chairperson of the state Women’s Commission, but I am from the communist party. No other party, other than mine, will take stern action in cases against women. I know which case you are mentioning. In that case, the family members, who are party followers, told me that they need the decision to be taken by the party,” the women’s panel chief said referring to a case involving senior CPI(M) leader and MLA PK Sasi.
“Our party is a court and a police station. No leniency will be shown towards any leader in that regard,” Josephine said.
In 2018, Shoranur MLA PK Sasi was suspended for six months by the ruling CPI(M) government after a woman Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader had accused Sasi of sexually abusing her.
Sasi was suspended from the CPI(M)s primary membership after it was found that he had conversed with a woman worker “in a manner not befitting a party leader.”
The women’s panel had then said that they will investigate the matter only if the woman had come out in public or filed a police case.
Congress demands resignation of women’s panel chief
Meanwhile, the opposition party in the state Congress has demanded the resignation of Josephine from the post of state’s Women’s panel chief.
The leader of opposition in the state Ramesh Chennithala said Josephine who heads a quasi-judicial body has made a comment violating the principles of the Constitution.
“A women’s panel chief, who says that CPI(M) means court and the police, has no credentials to occupy that position. She has made anti-constitutional statements while heading a quasi-judicial body which is completely unacceptable,” Chennithala said in a release.
BJP state president K Surendran termed Josephine’s statement as a mockery towards the legal system of the country.
