Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan invokes Rahul Mamkootathil cases to target Congress on polling day

Kozhikode: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan used the sexual assault cases against MLA Rahul Mamkootathil to attack Congress on the final day of the final phase of local body polls on Thursday. He asked what the womanizers in Congress were doing and said society will not accept any attempt to justify a criminal group of sexual offenders. Vijayan made the remarks while responding to a question on KPCC chief Sunny Joseph's claim that a legal brain was behind the complaint against Mamkootathil.Vijayan's comments formed part of a calculated effort to steer the poll day's political narrative towards Mamkootathil issue, overshadowing the opposition's criticism of the govt over Sabarimala gold scam."If you examine the concerns expressed by the survivors and the evidence that have surfaced, you will understand what is happening. Why didn't they come forward with evidence till recently. We have to view it seriously. Each of them was not merely intimidated; they were told they would be killed. That is why these hapless young women were afraid to say the facts. How did such a situation arise among responsible people of a political party?" he asked.He said that more issues beyond what has surfaced could also emerge. "They should realize that attempts to justify such a criminal group of perverts through remarks like well drafted and all will not be accepted by society," he said. Vijayan's strategy appeared to have hit the mark with opposition leader V D Satheesan tacitly correcting the KPCC chief, by saying that all complaints must be ‘well drafted', indirectly signalling differences within the Congress over handling the issue.Meanwhile, Joseph said on Thursday that he remained firm in his stand that the complaint he received against Mamkootathil– which was forwarded to the state police chief –was a ‘well drafted one'. When asked whether he thinks that it was politically motivated, Joseph said the complaint was submitted to KPCC and people know very well about it."As soon as I received the petition, the media also received it. What was the motive behind it? They knew whom the complaint should actually be submitted. But it was sent to me," he added.