Congress disbars Simi Rosebell John over ‘derogatory’ remarks about female party workers

Simi Rosebel John. File | Photo credit: The Hindu

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Sunday expelled party leader Simi Rosebell John from the primary membership of the party.

Mrs. John had stirred up quite a bit of strife within the KPCC by stating that patronage and sponsorship were prerequisites for women to advance within the organization.

The KPCC said that Ms. John had in one fell swoop belittled lakhs of women Congress members who had worked selflessly for the party. It said that the collective of women leaders in the party had demanded that Ms. John be expelled immediately.

Ms John had accused Opposition Leader V D Satheesan of lording it over a power group in the party, saying the KPCC had passed her over for key responsibilities because she was not in Mr Satheesan’s “good books”.

Ms John’s insinuation came against the backdrop of Mr Satheesan’s statement that a power group around the Prime Minister’s office controlled the ruling party and the government.

The K. Hema Commission, which documented sexual exploitation and abuse in the Malayalam film industry, had noted that such a top group existed in the state-run film industry.