Up to survivor to seek police help: Kerala CPI secretary

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/PALAKKAD: CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said it was up to the survivor to decide whether to lodge a complaint on sexual harassment with the police and that the police usually do not take suo motu cases against such allegations.
"It's the duty of the party (CPM) general secretary to order a party-level inquiry on such complaints. I hope the CPM will take appropriate measures," he told a news conference when asked about the position of CPI on the sexual harassment complaint against CPM MLA P K Sasi. Rajendran also said the CPI never interfered in any political party's internal affairs. "All political parties are cross sections of society. Let us give the CPM sufficient time to conduct the party-level inquiry," he said.

VS for stern action Clarifying his stand in the issue, veteran CPM leader and chairman of Kerala administrative reforms commission V S Achuthanandan has said that "stern action will be taken on the complaint against Sasi made by a woman DYFI leader."

He told reporters in Palakkad on Thursday that "since the matter involved the issue of the honour of a woman the party will act strongly." The CPM state secretariat meeting on Friday will discuss the matter, he said.

Meanwhile, more party leaders in the district, including some prominent legislators, have rallied behind the complainant that may force the party to take some action against Sasi.

Sasi has considerable clout in the party organization in the district as he had played a key role in weaning away the party from the VS group to the official group by capturing the local committee and branch committees. His close relation with the official group and his role in weakening the VS group in the district got him the party's strong seat of Shoranur.

He was given the seat overlooking many other prominent claimants. But his tough stand also made many in the party as his enemies.