The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Sunday decided to strip party legislator M. Vincent of all party positions till he proves his innocence in the courts, but rejected the chorus for his resignation from the post. The party demanded a comprehensive probe into the involvement of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator and his supporters in ‘framing’ Vincent in a rape case leading to his arrest.
The Congress leadership took a firm stand that Vincent’s resignation was not warranted at this stage, considering the alleged conspiracy hatched by CPI(M). However, the decision to strip Vincent, who is KPCC secretary, from official posts was taken in the context of the strong positions that party leaders had taken on issues related to atrocities against women.
Addressing a press conference here, KPCC president M.M. Hassan said Vincent’s arrest was hasty and politically motivated. “His arrest is extraordinary. It is politically motivated and the First Information Report was filed in order to ensure that he was arrested,” Mr. Hassan said. In several cases in the past, including the Wadakkancherry case involving local CPI(M) leaders, the police were not in a hurry to register an arrest.
He alleged that the Neyyattinkara MLA of the CPI((M) and his supporters were behind the conspiracy to get Vincent arrested. Mr. Hassan referred to the statements of the victim’s sister on the issue to substantiate his claim for a probe into the conspiracy angle as well.
Mr. Hassan held discussions with former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on the stand the party should adopt.
He also sought an explanation from Vincent. Even though Vincent belongs to the ‘A’ faction in the Congress, the leaders have decided to take a united stand on the issue. Besides, they did not want to force a byelection in the Kovalam constituency by getting Vincent to resign, according to party sources.
The KPCC’s leadership meeting will be held here on Tuesday and shortly before that, the high power committee of the United Democratic Front is also scheduled to meet. The party and the UDF are expected to pronounce the respective positions on this issue.