Kozhikode District Congress Committee (DCC) president K.C. Abu on Friday landed the Congress party in serious embarrassment by making a ‘sexist’ remark about two women Opposition legislators, inviting the wrath of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V.M. Sudheeran and escaping disciplinary action with an apology. Mr. Abu and his party found themselves in a spot when he told a press conference that E.S. Bijimol (CPI) and Jameela Prakasam (Janata Dal-S) had actually ‘enjoyed’ when stopped by Labour Minister Shibu Baby John and Congress legislator K. Sivadasan Nair during the bedlam in the Assembly on March 13.
He also said that Ms. Prakasam should have bitten the young Indian Union Muslim League legislator P.K. Basheer instead of Mr. Nair, a senior person.
His remarks drew a sharp response from Opposition youth and women’s organisations whose activists marched to the DCC office, clashing with the police. On her part, Ms. Bijimol lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief against the remark.
A visibly annoyed Mr. Sudheeran, who had a scheduled press conference, came down firmly against Mr. Abu, and publicly asked him to withdraw his comments unconditionally or face action.
Mr. Abu’s remarks, Mr. Sudheeran said, did not tally with the values upheld by the Congress.
Although Mr. Abu initially sought to deflect criticism by contending that his observations were taken out of context, with the KPCC president taking a firm stand, he had no other option but to tender an unconditional apology.
He did so in a statement issued in the evening.
Opposition youth, women’s organisations march to DCC office
CPI MLA lodges complaint with State Police Chief
