Time to use ‘Brahmastra’ against Mamkootathil: Congress leader K Muraleedharan

Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan signalled that strong action is imminent against suspended Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil after new sexual-assault allegations emerged. With multiple complaints and police cases pending, Muraleedharan said the party must protect its image and that Mamkootathil’s political future is effectively over

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan on Wednesday indicated that it was time for stringent action against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing fresh sexual assault allegations from another woman, saying that “it is time to use the Brahmastra”.

Muraleedharan said that he expects quick and strong action from Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph after discussions with all party leaders.

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Speaking to reporters here, the Congress leader said that the decision to resign as MLA has to be taken by Mamkootathil himself. “Once the umbilical cord is cut, the party has no role in that. The person concerned has to decide,” he said.

Muraleedharan said that the party suspended Mamkootathil even before there was any written complaint before it or the police. “Now that there are written complaints before the party and the police, strong action will be taken against him. In native parlance, it is time to use the Brahmastra,” he said.

The Congress leader said that a complaint was given to the KPCC chief by the latest complainant and it has been forwarded to the DGP as Mamkootathil has been suspended from the party. “Had he not been suspended from the Congress, then the party would have carried out an investigation into the allegations,” he said.

He said that Mamkootathil was given the responsibility to help the people and not engage in the activities that he is accused of. “If he has engaged in the activities he is accused of, he is not fit to work in the political or any other domain,” he said.

Asked whether there are any sympathisers of Mamkootathil in the party, Muraleedharan said that the Palakkad MLA is on his way out and his supporters can join him.

When reporters pointed out that the CPI(M) has not taken similar action against its leaders facing such allegations, the Congress leader said that the Left party’s stand “does not concern us”.

“Our stand is to protect the image of our party from being tarnished,” he added.

The latest complainant against Mamkootathil is a 23-year-old woman, living outside Kerala, who has sent the complaint to the party high command and the KPCC.

Mamkootathil has been absconding for the past few days after police registered a sexual assault and forced abortion case against him based on a complaint submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week by a different woman.

Based on the complaint to the CM, a case has been registered under sections 64(2)(f) (rape by a person in a position of trust or authority), 64(2)(h) (rape knowing the woman is pregnant), 64(2)(m) (repeated rape of the same woman), 89 (causing miscarriage without consent), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (joint criminal liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the Palakkad MLA.

Police have also invoked section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act for the alleged recording and threat of misuse of private images.

Mamkootathil was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on August 25.

He earlier resigned as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of misbehaviour, prompting protests by the BJP and the DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M).

Subsequently, several women and a transgender person also levelled allegations against him.

Mamkootathil was elected as MLA in November last year in a by-election to the Palakkad seat, following former MLA Shafi Parambil’s election to the Lok Sabha from Vatakara.