THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Power Minister M M Mani’s derogatory remarks on ‘Pembilai Orumai’ activists in Munnar have snowballed into a major controversy and could not have come at a more inopportune time for the LDF Government, with the Assembly set to convene on Tuesday.
The main Opposition UDF is expected to raise the issue in the House which will put the Pinarayi Vijayan Government on the backfoot.
Meanwhile, various organisations have called for Mani’s resignation while pressing for criminal charges to be brought against him. Chief Minister Pinarayi on Sunday told reporters in Delhi it was not right to pass such remarks. “Pembilai Orumai’ is a women’s collective. It is not right if he insulted them,” he said. On whether action will be taken against Mani, he said, “I will let you know about it after speaking to the person who made the comment.”
Veteran CPM leader and Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V S Achuthanandan also flayed Mani’s anti-woman remarks. “It is not the Communists’ line to speak against the working class and women or to justify the encroachments. The CPM cannot justify if anyone adopts such a stand, whoever he might be,” he said.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala demanded the removal of M M Mani. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Ramesh called for a case to be registered against Mani and his arrest for insulting womanhood. Mani was behaving like a person who had lost his mental stability, he alleged. According to Ramesh, Mani had violated the oath of office which required the incumbents to protect the people and the wealth of the state. But instead, the Power Minister was championing the cause of the encroachers.
Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma blasted Mani’s comments saying, “Its an unpardonable comment. Quite unfortunate too.”
Former Rajya Sabha MP and Haritha Keralam Mission vice-chairperson T N Seema urged the minister to withdraw his remarks. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded a case be lodged against M M Mani who “ had put a price on the dignity of women”.
Further, he said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should clarify whether Mani was being allowed to continue in office due to the lack of competent persons among the LDF MLAs.
“The Chief Minister should decide whether Mani ought to continue(as minister),” Kummanam said.
According to the BJP state chief, the CPM had thrown down a gauntlet to the people of Kerala by foisting Mani on them. “The day is not far-off when women will sweep Mani out with brooms. Mani who is wont to using abusive language against anyone, is an insult to Malayalees,” he said.
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) too joined the chorus with AAP state convener C R Neelakantan demanding criminal charges should be brought against him for his remarks against ‘Pembilai Orumai’.