THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finally, the CPM has put and end to the P K Sasi imbroglio that has been haunting the party for the past three months. The Shoranur MLA, who is facing sexual harassment charges levelled by a woman DYFI leader, was suspended on Monday from the party’s primary membership for six months.
Finding lapses from the part of the senior leader, the party observed that Sasi’s behaviour was unbecoming of a CPM leader. Though suspended from the party, Sasi can attend the Assembly session starting on Tuesday, confirmed the Speaker’s Office.
Party commission which was assigned to investigate the case has reported that Sasi has not conducted sexual advances but reported that party can take action on the telephonic conversation he had made with the complainant.
The telephonic conversation that Sasi has made with the woman was one of the main evidence presented by the commission which included state law minister AK Balan and PK Sreemathi MP.
The party central leadership wanted strict action to be taken against the leader. The CPM suspended Sasi after going through his version on the complaint. Sasi is currently the CPM’s Palakkad district secretariat member.
The CPM secretariat accepted the commission’s findings and passed them on to the state committee for action. “The action taken by the CPM is unique and no political party other than the CPM will take such an action,” said Sreemathy.
Though it was widely believed that the party would go for a relatively mild action against him - demoting to lower factions - the leadership decided to go for strict action. The decision was taken to ensure that political opponents don’t use the issue against the CPM.
Senior leaders, however, said the allegations of factionalism within the party - in connection with the Sasi issue - have not come up for discussions within the party. “The complainant wanted the issue to be addressed through the party. Detailed probe and discussions were carried out. Since the accused is a senior leader, the party took it up seriously. The party is of the view that his remarks are unbecoming of a party leader,” said Central Committee member Sreemathy, who was part of the two-member Probe Commission.
Addressing the media, Sasi said he will accept the party decision with open hands. Terming the CPM part of his life, Sasi said the party has the right to take any kind of action against him. Meanwhile, the complainant said she’s satisfied with the action taken against the leader. Party sources indicated that she is unlikely to seek further action.
Factionalism
The party leadership did not announce any action on Sasi’s complaint that the allegations against him came up due to factionalism in the party. However, the party is serious about the charges levelled by the senior leader and would be looked into. Sources said the party will seriously look into the issues and follow up actions will be taken at the district level.
Sasi no stranger to controversies
The decision to suspend P K Sasi for six months has sent the message that wrongdoings by elected representatives will not be condoned just because they have stood with the official faction in the past. During Pinarayi Vijayan’s face-offs with V S Achuthanandan, Sasi had stood firm with the official faction led by A K Balan in the district. It was no wonder then that Balan did his best to delay the probe against the MLA. However, with the DYFI leader standing firm on her charges and mailing a second complaint to the central leadership, the inquiry commission could do little to save Sasi. Moreover, the fact that the complainant could approach the court later also might have forced the state leadership’s hands, sources said.Sasi is no stranger to controversies.
Immediately after the Assembly elections in 2016, he was seen abusing two police officers for arresting CPM cadres. He raked up another controversy when he openly opposed PWD Minister G Sudhakaran’s remarks that there was no need to light lamp at government functions.
“Even if it’s a thampuran’s diktat, I will do so,” Sasi had said then. During the Assembly elections, Sasi was initially allotted the Ottappalam seat. But he opted for the more safer Shoranur seat, scuppering district secretariat member P K Sudhakaran’s chances. At present, Sasi is CITU district secretary, a member of the board of directors of Malabar Cements and CPM district secretariat member. It is not yet clear whether he will be removed from these posts too.
Register case against Sasi: Chennithala
After the CPM’s own inquiry found P K Sasi guilty in the sexual allegation case, police must register a suo motu case against the MLA, said Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. He said it is not the party, but the police and the court which must take a decision on such cases. “An issue of this gravity cannot be settled with a party inquiry. If that happens, it would amount to challenging the legal system in the state,” Chennithala said. He said the CPM’s decision to suspend Sasi for six months is a move to hoodwink the people. He said after the six-month period, Sasi will come back to the party with full power.