Even as the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections gathers steam in Kerala, the ruling CPI(M) found itself in an embarrassing position with a woman alleging that she was impregnated after being raped inside a party office in Palakkad district.
The incident started unfolding on February 16 when a newborn child was found abandoned at Mannur in Palakkad. In the ensuing investigation, police found out the child's mother and recorded her statement.
Police have started fresh probe into the woman's complaint.
According to the woman, she was raped by one of her male friends last year when both of them were students at a college in Cherpulasseri. She alleged that her male friend took her to the CPI(M) party office to discuss their college magazine before sexually assaulting her inside a room in the building.
The CPI(M), however, strongly rejected the claims. Party's Cherpulasseri area secretary K.B. Subhash said the allegations were aimed at targeting the party in the upcoming elections. The woman and the accused had no direct connection with the party, he said.
The opposition Congress is likely to take up the issue to corner the ruling party. In a Facebook post on Thursday, Congress MLA V.T. Balram took a sarcastic jibe at the left party asking its leaders, A.K. Balan and P.K. Srimathi, to stop their campaigning in Kannur and rush to Palakkad constituency.
“One more girl raped by CPM leaders inside their party office has to be silenced soon,” he said.
Balan and Srimathi earlier headed a panel set up by the CPI(M) to probe the sexual harassment complaint against its Shoranur MLA P.K. Sasi filed by a woman party member. There were allegations that the party was going soft on the complaint against Sasi and was trying to cover up the case even as the legislator was suspended for six months.
