THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI(M)’s loose cannon VS Achuthanandan is making Kerala see red. The leader of the Opposition leader in Kerala, notorious for his foul mouth irrespective of gender has landed in controversy yet again with his remarks against former CPI(M) leader ‘Sindhu Joy’ who is now in the Congress.
On the sidelines of a meeting at Kochi last week, Achuthanandan said that former CPI(M) leader ‘Sindhu Joy’s fate in the Congress is similar to that of an over exploited-then-discarded harlot.
Sindhu had resigned from the CPI(M), for being sidelined after the debacles in 2006 Assembly and 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Achuthanandan alleged that Sindhu was used by the UDF during the Parliament polls. “Now, where is that Sindhu Joy whom the UDF bought?” he said.
Achuthanandan’s remarks invited severe criticism from all corners including his own party leaders and later on he was forced to convene a press conference on the same day to explain what he meant. Achuthanandan said that his statement was misinterpreted and that the criticism was aimed at the
Congress.
Even CPI(M) leader and Rajya Sabha member T N Seema came out against Achuthanandan and said that he shouldn’t have made such a comment. Sindhu Joy reacted saying that it’s high time the CPI(M) restrained Achuthanandan “A senior leader like VS shouldn’t have said this. He should have remembered that he also has a daughter. Being an unmarried young girl, this remark can even affect my future,” said the 34 year old Sindhu.
“I do not think it was a slip of the tongue. Achuthanandan purposefully unleashed the controversy to deviate public attention from the land-allotment case and the case against his son Arun Kumar,” Sindhu added.
This is not the first instance when Achuthanandan showed that he is loud-mouthed. His comments after being denied entry to the house of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, a martyr at the Mumbai terrorist attack created an uproar. He said “Not even a dog would have visited the house had it not been the martyr’s.”
Another much discussed comment was on Rahul Gandhi when he came to campaign in Kerala during the last Assembly elections. Achuthanandan said, “The Amul baby has come here to campaign for some Amul baby candidates of the Congress party.”
The list goes on and on. Referring to the silence of Defence Minister A K Antony on the numerous corruption cases that hit the UPA Government, Achuthanandan termed him as a ‘Mauni Baba’. During the last assembly elections also he had a verbal duel with opponent Lathika Subhash of Congress in Malampuzha constituency. The row was sparked on a comment at a press
meet in Palakkad when he said, “She is famous, and, if you inquire, you will know how she is famous.” A defamation case was filed against him at the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court by Lathika Subhash.
Achuthanandan made an indirect apology and said that his statement was not intended to hurt anybody and the case was later withdrawn.
Coming down heavily on Opposition Leader’s unsavoury remarks on Sindhu, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the remarks were a disgrace to the entire state. “Achuthanandan who had been projecting himself as a person who always stood for protecting the interests of women has now passed unsavoury remarks about an young woman. But it is not the first time that VS is insulting womanhood,” Chandy said.