Kerala: Satheesan demands apology from Surendran for 'anti-women' remarks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan has demanded an apology from BJP state president K Surendran's 'anti-women' remarks against CPM women leaders. Satheesan also expressed surprise at the CPM leadership's silence on the issue.

Satheesan told reporters here on Tuesday that the Congress would take legal recourse if the CPM continues with its silence. 

Satheesan expressed surprise at chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM secretary M V Govindan's silence on the issue. On Sunday, Surendran hurled derogatory remarks against CPM women leaders while speaking at a BJP women empowerment programme.

"Why is the CPM leadership not filing a case against Surendran, when otherwise the CPM's practice is to slap defamatory cases in fictitious and false cases against their detractors? We will take up the case legally, if the CPM decides to continue their stoic silence," said Satheesan.

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State Congress president K Sudhakaran and vice president V T Balram too had criticised Surendran on Monday.

The LDF government also came under flak from the Opposition over sabotaging the decentralization in the local bodies. Satheesan alleged that the state government has been dilly-dallying in their efforts to part with the plan funds and development funds for the local bodies. Following media pressure, the finance ministry had issued orders to give the second portion in the third instalment for the local funds. Now one more part from the third instalment is pending.

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"At the fag end of the financial year the state government has not given the full amount in the third instalment which has affected the smooth functioning of the local bodies. The bills worth Rs 13,223 crore are not being passed where the ploy of the state government is to spill over the remaining funds to the next fiscal year. This would only lead to utter chaos next year," said Satheesan.

He also said that the UDF leaders would hold protest meetings before all local bodies across the state on Friday. Satheesan also demanded to know about the status of the probe on the Brahmapuram waste management fire issue. He said that the Congress and UDF leaders will protest at Kerala Raj Bhavan on April 5 against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi.