Thiruvananthapuram | Youth Congress state general secretary Neethu Vijayan on Friday criticised actor and Congress supporter Ramesh Pisharody for his recent remarks that Rahul Mamkootathil should not resign from the MLA post.

Pisharody, on Thursday, told reporters in Palakkad that Mamkootathil is not required to resign, as no case has been registered and there are currently only allegations against him. However, he had commented that Mamkoottathil, as an MLA, should have been more careful.

In response, Vijayan in a Facebook post on Friday, said that Pisharody's comments did not reflect those of a true Congress sympathiser and alleged they undermined the party's decision.

"Party disciplinary action is not merely based on an FIR, a court verdict, or a media trial. It is based on complaints received and the leadership's understanding. The leadership must have had clarity on the matter, which is why such a step was taken," she said.

Vijayan said women leaders in the Youth Congress were finding it difficult to hold their heads high as Mamkootathil had not denied the allegations. "If he had at least once rejected them outright, we could have faced society with confidence," she said.

She pointed out that Pisharody had remained silent when a serious case involving his own colleagues was raised years ago.

The Youth Congress leader also referred to past cyber attacks against women Congress leaders and said many women had remained silent out of fear. "But continued silence will only embolden them to target women leaders," she said.

Stating that politics was a social service and not performance, Vijayan urged Congress supporters like Pisharody to respect party decisions and refrain from remarks that could put the party in crisis.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Palakkad V K Sreekandan on Friday said there were no legal hurdles preventing suspended Congress MLA Mamkootathil from visiting his constituency or attending public functions.

"If there is any legal issue, the Speaker of the Kerala Assembly should announce it. No one has the right to block him from reaching Palakkad and performing his duties as an MLA," Sreekandan told reporters here.

He pointed out that Mamkootathil had only been suspended from the Congress party, but continued to be the elected representative of the people. "The people of Palakkad have every right to meet their MLA. The people here will protect him," he added.