PALAKKAD: Even as fresh phone conversations emerged on Saturday that allegedly revealed Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil pressuring a young woman into an abortion, the BJP Mahila Morcha district leader Aswathy Manikandan has filed petitions with multiple child rights bodies, accusing the legislator of grave misconduct and the forcible termination of the woman’s pregnancy.
Aswathy has approached the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Palakkad District Women Protection Office, demanding urgent action against the MLA.
In her petition, Aswathy cited the leaked phone conversations, screenshots, and audio clips circulating on social media as damning evidence of the MLA’s misconduct.
She alleged that these materials exposed Rahul Mamkootathil’s personal involvement with a woman who, according to her, was “subjected to coercion, force, and ultimately an unlawful termination of pregnancy against her wishes.”
“This is not just about one woman’s trauma. Denying a woman the right to childbirth is both a violation of her fundamental rights and a grave breach of child rights,” Aswathy told TNIE. The Mahila Morcha leader demanded that a criminal case be registered against Rahul, legal support be extended to the survivor, and a fair, transparent investigation initiated immediately. “Elected representatives are expected to be role models. If such allegations against Rahul are proven true, it sets a dangerous precedent and is a shameful blot on public life,” she said.
As protests continue across Kerala demanding the MLA’s resignation, Aswathy’s petition has brought the issue under the direct scrutiny of statutory bodies, further cornering the Congress legislator already battling mounting public outrage.