THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM Central Committee has approved the party state unit’s disciplinary action against PK Sasi MLA following the sexual abuse allegation. The Central Committee will not recommend for more severe action against the MLA, who is accused of sexually abusing woman DYFI leader.
The party state committee had earlier suspended Sasi from its primary membership for six months. The action was based on an internal probe report by minister AK Balan and PK Sreemathy MP. The CPM is currently facing criticism for the probe report, which seeks to protect Sasi and doubt the integrity of the victim. Veteran CPM leader and former chief minister VS Achuthanandan had earlier sought the Central Committee’s intervention for strong action against Sasi. Achuthanandan, in his communications to the Committee, had demanded severe action which would do justice to the victim.
The internal probe report doubted the integrity of the victim and stated that her allegations were doubtful. According to the report, the victim’s claim that Sasi misbehaved with her at the Mannarkkad area committee office was unbelievable since the office was crowded with workers and leaders on that particular day. The room had its doors open the whole day. Also, the complainant did not raise the issue in the district forum of the party, the report said.
The report also contained an innuendo that the complainant used to behave ‘socially’ with everyone. “She used to behave very socially with male comrades and other male friends, according to the statements given by many,” the report said.
‘Is this the renaissance CPM is talking about?’
T’Puram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has asked as to how the CPM, which can’t even protect the self-respect of its own party cadre, is forming women’s wall for protecting renaissance values. When a women leader has complained against party MLA P K Sasi, the CPM’s investigative commission protected him and tried to make the complainant accused. He asked whether this is the renaissance the CPM is talking about. “The party commission has given the report the complainant tried to trap Sasi with vested interests. The complaint was that Sasi has misbehaved with the women at CPM area committee office and the question of the panel as to whether there were any witness is malicious and intended to insult the complainant and protect Sasi,” he said.