New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Women and Child Development Minister Bindhu Krishna on Thursday said allegations of sexual harassment against a CPI(M) leader should not be settled within political parties and urged the woman concerned to approach the law.
However, CPI(M) leaders said they were unaware of any such complaint and maintained that the party does not protect members facing allegations of offences against women.
Krishna was referring to allegations of sexual harassment against a CPI(M) leader from a north Keralam district, who recently resigned as the party district secretary.
Media reports alleged that the leader resigned after a woman lodged a sexual harassment complaint against him with the party leadership.
The CPI(M) has denied that his resignation was linked to any such allegation.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Krishna said reports about the allegations were serious and that criminal offences should be dealt with through legal action.
"Whenever such allegations of sexual harassment arise against CPI(M) party leaders, we have previously seen in many cases a situation where the party settles it internally without bringing it before the rule of law in public society. That is not desirable at all," she said.
"If anyone has committed serious criminal offences, they must certainly be subjected to legal action," the minister said, urging women who had faced such alleged harassment to come forward and approach the law.
Krishna said the state government would provide full support for legal action and that women's safety, self-respect and dignity would be given priority irrespective of party politics.
Asked whether the woman should come forward with a complaint, she said there was no need to be afraid.
"In a civilised society like Keralam, where our girls and women live with self-respect, in a state with legal protection, and beyond that where public conscience has zero tolerance for such matters, there is no need to be afraid," she said.
Krishna also criticised the practice of settling such complaints within political organisations.
"It is never correct," she said, adding that anyone accused of harassment should be brought to justice.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader P K Sreemathi said the party would not protect anyone involved in offences against women.
Sreemathi said she preferred to believe the party leadership's statement that no such incident had occurred.
However, she said the party had a tradition of taking strict action against those who harass women, irrespective of their position.
"If any such thing happens in the future, I state this with emphasis: if there are any abusers who harass girls or women like this, our party has a tradition and policy of taking strict action against them," Sreemathi said.
She said she had come across reports about the issue in the media but had not sought clarification from CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan.
"If anyone acts in this manner against women or is a woman-abuser, this is not a party that provides protection to them," she said.
Senior CPI(M) leader K K Shailaja said she was unaware of any complaint against the leader.
"As far as I know right now, my understanding is that there is no such complaint. One thing is certain: whenever women face difficulties, we have always stood with them, wherever that may be," she said.
Shailaja said she could not say whether any complaint would be handed over to police without knowing whether such a complaint existed.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said he had attended the district extended committee meeting last week, where the leader had stated that he was stepping down as district secretary citing certain personal issues.
"The district committee accepted it and elected another Secretary in his place," Ramakrishnan said.
He also said he was unaware of any complaint against the leader.
On whether a complaint would be referred to police, Ramakrishnan said the CPI(M) had a standard organisational procedure under its party constitution.
"The CPI(M) constitution applies to everyone who works within the party. Within that constitution, the quality, character, behaviour, and similar issues of party members are all addressed," he said.
If complaints arise against party members, an internal party inquiry is conducted and the party takes a decision based on it, Ramakrishnan said.
