THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM leader and former minister MM Mani has withdrawn his controversial remark against RMP leader and legislator K K Rema. Mani said he was withdrawing his statement following Speaker M B Rajesh’s ruling on the matter on Wednesday. In his ruling, the Speaker said there was an underlying “wrong idea” in Mani’s speech, which does not match with progressive values. He said he expects Mani to withdraw the “inappropriate” remark. Immediately after the Speaker’s ruling, Mani rose from his seat and said: “Being a Communist, I should not have said the word vidhi (fate) in my speech. I withdraw that remark.”
Mani said he did not intend to insult anyone and the misunderstanding would not have happened had the Opposition allowed him to complete his speech. The Speaker, in his ruling, cautioned members about the changed times in which certain remarks are considered inappropriate and unwelcome.
“Certain words and usages commonly used in the past are now considered inappropriate. Words and usages representing the feudal value system would be contrary to the values of the modern democratic world. Hence, certain proverbs, jokes and local slangs which were popular in the past have become obsolete and unusable. Ridiculing remarks based on people’s colour, body features, limitations, job, family background, caste, religion, gender, living conditions and male chauvinism are considered regressive. There is an increasing awareness in society that these should be avoided in a developed and democratic setup,” he said.
The Speaker said special care should be taken while mentioning women, transgender persons, physically-challenged, visually-challenged and marginalised sections. “Several people’s representatives are yet to understand this change. All should remember that these things are subject to social audit nowadays,” he said.
The Speaker also said a senior opposition leader spoke about the Speaker in bad taste on that day. He also condemned certain opposition members who raised inappropriate slogans in the house and tried to barge into the Speaker’s dais.Mani made the controversial remark on July 14 during the discussion on demand for grants. In reply to Rema’s criticism against the chief minister, he said a “great woman” has spoken against the chief minister and the LDF government. “That great woman became a widow. It’s her own fate. We are not responsible for it,” he had said.