THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress state leadership held protests across 13 districts in front of collectorates on Thursday against the LDF government for its 'inaction' following the release of the Hema Committee report and its aftermath.
Opposition Leader V D Satheesan reiterated that the tainted MLA M Mukesh should resign.
The Congress state leadership had held protests across the state except in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. K Sudhakaran, Congress state president inaugurated the protest in his home district, Kannur. The UDF protest is scheduled to be inaugurated by Satheesan in front of the Secretariat on September 2.
On the eve of the protests, Satheesan had ensured that the tainted office bearer of the Kerala Pradesh Lawyers' Congress V S Chandrasekharan quit after being named by an actress for alleged sexual abuse.
“Several allegations have come up against Mukesh, I'd never said that he should not resign. The most ideal thing is that he should step down from the legislator's post. I am wondering what message has the CPM been trying to project," said Satheesan.
He also added that the cinema policy committee has been asked to study the Hema Committee report and then come up with a policy. Satheesan also claimed that eight members of the cinema policy committee including Mukesh had read the Hema Committee report.
Regarding Congress MLAs Eldhose Kunnappally and M Vincent, who had also courted controversy over sexual assault incidents, Satheesan recalled that the Perumbavoor MLA had got anticipatory bail.
"The LDF government had forwarded the solar case to the CBI. What happened then? Did Oommen Chandy seek anticipatory bail? No. Here in the case of Mukesh, things are different as several women have come forward against him," he said.
"Mukesh is not ready to step down from office. The CPM leadership should seek his resignation. Unfortunately, the CPM leadership has been harbouring him. The CPM has interest in protecting its face somehow. The LDF government is dilly-dallying on taking action against those actors whose names have found a place in the Justice Hema Committee report", added Satheesan.
The Congress and the UDF leadership have decided to intensify their protests in the coming days.
