MM Mani withdraws controversial remarks against KK Rema after Speaker ruling

Soon after Speaker MB Rajesh gave a ruling on the use of language in the house on Wednesday, CPI(M) legislator M M Mani said he was withdrawing his controversial remarks against UDF MLA K K Rema, which triggered a huge political controversy in the state last week.

Mani informed the state Assembly that he did not intend to insult anyone and that he had already made it clear what he had actually tried to convey through his comments.

"As a Communist, I would not have mentioned the word vidhi (fate) in my speech. I withdraw this remark," he told the House.

The Speaker said there are certain words that are generally agreed upon that should not be used in the Assembly. "Certain remarks may be inappropriate and unacceptable even if such unparliamentary words are not used. Some words and phrases that were once commonly used are now considered taboo," MB Rajesh said.

"In the new age, slurs and insults based on people's colour, physical characteristics, limitations, occupation, family background, caste, religion, gender characteristics, and living conditions are considered rude," he said.

Mani, while participating in the House discussions on fund requests by the police last week, alluding to Rema had said that a "mahati" (great person), who spoke against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF, became a widow and that was her "fate.

"We (CPI(M)-led Left Front) are not responsible for that," he said. KK Rema's husband TP Chandrasekharan was killed over political rivalry in 2012 and 12 persons, including members of the CPI(M), were convicted for the crime.

The statement invited the ire of the Opposition which triggered a huge protest by the Congress-UDF across the state demanding him to withdraw his remarks and apologise for the same.

(With inputs from PTI)