A ‘misogynist’ comment by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran triggered widespread condemnation on Sunday. It also prompted the Kerala State Women’s Commission (KSWC) to slap a case on Mr. Ramachandran.
Mr. Ramachandran posited at a Congress rally that women who have self-respect would die if raped. They should at least ensure that they did not get violated again, he said.
The case concerned
He was speaking in the context of the government pursuing cases of rape against a galaxy of Congress leaders based on the recommendation of the judicial commission that examined the solar investment fraud case in 2016.
The case had rocked the Oommen Chandy government in 2014. The accused in the case, a woman, had told the commission that she had traded sex for getting the imprimatur of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government for her solar project.
When Pinarayi Vijayan came to power in 2016, the alleged victim filed rape complaints against several Congress leaders, including Mr. Chandy. The police registered a case and commenced an investigation. The probe has made little headway so far.
Mr. Ramachandran said whenever Mr. Vijayan faced adversity he raked up the old and unproven salacious case against Congress leaders as a defence. He did not name the woman.
Shylaja’s response
Mr. Ramachandran’s words went viral and set off an avalanche of criticism that cut across political lines. Health Minister K.K. Shylaja said it reflected Mr. Ramachandran’s mindset. To blame a rape victim for the crime was male supremacist attitude. She said Mr. Ramachandran had used such sexist comments in the past to disparage women. Mr. Ramachandran also drew flak from Congress MLA Shanimol Usman and KSWC chairperson M.C. Josephine among others.
Apology
Mr. Ramachandran has apologised for the comment, which certain quarters had misconstrued as anti-women, according to him.
Mr. Ramachandran had drawn severe disapproval in June for his ‘gender insensitive and derogatory’ allusion to Ms. Shylaja as ‘Nipah princess’ and ‘COVID queen.’
