KOCHI: Allegations against Rahul Mamkootathil MLA will be thoroughly investigated, and action will be taken without looking at anyone’s face, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said on Saturday.
His remarks come two days after Mamkootathil stepped down as state president of the Youth Congress, and amid speculation on whether he will also resign as MLA.
Satheesan pointed out that there was not even a single formal complaint against Mamkootathil, yet he relinquished his party post within 24 hours of the allegations surfacing.
“We will conduct a serious inquiry into the charges and take action without compromise. Those who are now protesting and making noise should do some self-reflection on what they themselves have done in similar situations. If they want to march, it should be to Cliff House (the Chief Minister’s official residence), not to my house. In Kerala, no one protects accused persons more than the Chief Minister himself,” he said.
On Congress MP V K Sreekandan’s controversial remarks against the complainant, Satheesan said: “His statement was politically incorrect. I called him and conveyed my protest, and he has since corrected his mistake. In Congress, there is no space for belittling complainants. That is wrong. Congress workers who abuse women complainants on social media will also face action.”
Taking a dig at rival parties, the LoP said: “Bringing a rooster to a protest may be a joke, but the fact is CPM leaders are the ones running poultry farms. If you want to protest, do it there.
"The BJP’s former Chief Minister is still holding a high post despite being an accused in a POCSO case. So BJP leaders need not come and give us lectures. The Congress has a decision-making process, and we will act accordingly. We will also hear the version of the accused. CPM and BJP have no moral right to comment on this matter.”