Demanding a reprobe into the Suryanelli scandal, CPM politburo has asked Congress leader P J Kurien to resign from the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha against the backdrop of fresh evidence concerning his involvement in the case.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the CPM appealed to the Congress leadership to view the matter in the ‘proper’ perspective and remove Kurien if he does not step down.
The party also ruled out the allegation that charges against Kurien were politically motivated and said “this is not an issue being raised for party politics. The whole nation is concerned and agitated about the alarming rise in sexual crimes against women”.
It pointed out the impropriety of Kurien, against whom a rape victim has levelled serious allegations and fresh evidence has come to light, holding the constitutional post when Parliament is to discuss laws concerning sexual violence against women.
“Will it be proper for him to continue in the post,”it asked.
It accused the state government of adopting double standards by not ordering a reprobe into the case against Kurien.
The party pointed out “just recently it had ordered reinvestigation into two murder cases dating back decades, which had been decided through the judicial process, including in one of the cases upto the Supreme Court”, without naming the cases against M M Mani, former Idukki district secretary of the party following his statements about a few murders in the mid-80s.