Women legislators of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) called on Governor P. Sathasivam under the leadership of Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan here on Monday, seeking a directive to the government and the Speaker to initiate criminal proceedings against the United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders who had ‘outraged the modesty’ of women MLAs in the Assembly on March 13.
In their memorandum to the Governor, Mr. Achuthanandan and the women MLAs alleged that the Speaker had ‘adopted double standards’ in the case. He had shown ‘haste’ in giving directions through the Legislature Secretary to the police authorities about the ‘alleged wrongdoings’ of LDF MLAs, but he was reluctant to transfer the petition of the women MLAs ‘regarding physical assault and the attempts made by the UDF MLAs to outrage their modesty’ to the police, the MLAs said.
Speaking to the media after emerging from their meeting with the Governor, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Governor had promised the delegation that he would do everything within the limits of law to address their grievance. Reading out the speech that he was supposed to deliver in the House earlier in the day, the Opposition leader asked Chief Minister Oommen Chandy how he could permit the UDF MLAs to misbehave with the women LDF legislators.
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The Opposition MLAs who called on the Governor along with Mr. Achuthanandan were Jameela Prakasam (JD-S), K.K. Lathika and K.S. Saleekha (CPI-M), and E.S. Bijimol and Ge
SPC petitioned
Four Opposition women legislators on Monday sought the prosecution of four United Democratic Front (UDF) MLAs, all males, on the charge of outraging their modesty in the House.
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The petitioners are K.K. Lathika, K.S. Saleekha, Ayisha Potti, and Jameela Prakasham. In their complaint to the State Police Chief (SPC), the legislators have sought the criminal prosecution of MLAs K. Sivadasan Nair, M.A. Vahid, A.T. George, and Dominic Presentation.