Kerala CPI-M rules out resignation of MLA caught over ‘Me Too’ allegations

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) The top decision-making body of the Kerala unit of the CPI-M, which met here for the past two days, on Saturday ruled that actor-turned-party legislator Mukesh – against whom an FIR has been lodged over allegations of sexual misconduct by a former actress – need not resign as a legislator.

“A campaign has been launched demanding Mukesh’s resignation. We have done a detailed analysis and found that 16 MPs and 135 state legislators across the country are facing trial in similar cases,” CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan told mediapersons on Saturday.

“Around 54 BJP MPs, 23 Congress MPs and 13 AAP MPs, among others, are facing similar cases, but none has resigned so far. Even in Kerala, two opposition MPs are facing trial, one of whom has also been jailed. Many other prominent leaders in the state, including (late) Oommen Chandy, Kunhalikutty, Hibi Eden, Shashi Tharoor, Peethambara Kurup and AP Anil Kumar, were facing other cases, but they never gave up,” Govindan added.

The CPI-M leader added that if a legislator resigns and is later acquitted, he or she will not get his or her MLA status back.

“But we want to make it clear that Mukesh will not get any benefits because of his status as a legislator in the pending case. However, the party has decided to remove him from the committee formed to draft measures for a new cinema policy,” Govindan said.

He also said that the Hema committee, which recently exposed the widespread sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry in its report, was just a panel.

“If it was a judicial committee, the report would have been placed in the Assembly. Since the Hema committee was only a panel, the Kerala government will take action on the basis of the report. Action has already been taken on 24 points. No other state in the country has appointed such a committee,” Govindan alleged.

He added that the state government has formed a seven-member special investigation team, including four women IPS officers, to probe the cases registered after the Hema Commission report was made public.

“Eleven cases have been registered on the basis of various complaints. The government has nothing to hide… A legislator from the ruling party has also been charged, so let the investigation continue,” Govindan said.

Source: IANS

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