Kerala: Left women MLAs to file sexual assault case against UDF legislators

Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan on Tuesday held a press conference with the five women MLAs—Jameela Prakasham, K K Lathika, Geetha Gopi, B S Bijimol and K Suleekha—and read out his speech in the assembly, several portions of which were expunged by the Speaker from the assembly records Monday.

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He had taken strong exception to the behaviour of UDF legislators, who had celebrated the presentation of the budget by Finance Minister K M Mani. “Why did the ruling front legislators stand up from their seats and move towards the women legislators,’’ he said. Referring to UDF legislators kissing Mani, he asked “How they can convert the House into a venue for kiss of love. They should be booked for homosexuality.’’

Achuthanandan also said that Congress legislators who had sexually insulted the women should be subjected to “medical treatment for their disease”. Otherwise, women MLAs would not be able to come to the House with pride, he said.

The veteran Left leader also said the Opposition would go to any legal extent to bring the UDF legislators to book for the alleged sexual assault.

Left legislator Jameela Prakasham showed photographs of the ruckus and alleged that she was assaulted by Congress MLA Sivadasan Nair. Prakasham said she had bitten Nair. “Nair touched me with sexual intention. He had no business to come near me. I had no option but to bite him,’’ said Prakasham.

Nair refuted the allegations. “I too will present video footage to show what exactly happened,” he said.

On Tuesday, the LDF took the issue outside the Assembly. The CPM’s youth outfit DYFI took out marches to the offices of the five UDF legislators, who allegedly assaulted the women. These included Congress legislators A T George, M A Vahid, Sivadasan Nair, Dominic Presentation and Minister Shibu Baby John (RSP).