CM Pinarayi accuses Congress of aiding perverts, criminals
KOZHIKODE: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan succeeded in setting the agenda for discussion on the second phase of polling to local bodies on Thursday by shifting the whole focus to the Rahul Mamkootathil issue and thereby diverting attention from all other issues the opposition wanted to raise. What are these womanisers in the Congress doing? Why were the survivor women not ready to come forward with complaints. This should be viewed seriously. There were threats that they would be killed. The victims felt their lives would be in danger if they preferred complaints, the chief minister told reporters after casting his vote at a polling booth in Pinarayi in Kannur district. He asked how the workers of a political party can take such a stand. More serious allegations may emerge in the coming days. Society will never allow justification of these criminals and sexual perverts, Pinarayi said. The chief minister was reacting to an earlier comment by Congress state president Sunny Joseph who said that the second complaint against Rahul seemed to be well-drafted. Speaking to reporters after voting in Kannur, Sunny said the complaint was politically-motivated. He said there was a legal brain behind the complaint, adding that people are aware of its intention. However, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan chose to disagree with the KPCC presidents remarks. He said complaints should be well-drafted. A lawyer is a person who updates the current knowledge on legal issues. The victim can seek the help of an advocate before filing a complaint. Whats wrong with that? he asked. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala hit back at Pinarayi saying that the chief minister should first rein in the womanisers in his party. He said the CPM and the LDF government gave positions to those who insulted and harassed women. Chennithala said the CPM is employing double standards in dealing with sexual abuse cases. The government is sitting on a complaint against a former MLA for two weeks, he said. The opposition wanted to put the LDF on the defensive on several issues including the Sabarimala gold theft case. Sunny Joseph tried to raise the issue while addressing reporters, but it was drowned in the noise created over Pinarayis harsh remark on the Congress and Rahul. The developments also exposed the chinks in the Congress over dealing with the Rahul issue, with the KPCC president and the Leader of Opposition speaking separate languages. Counting day: What to know With polling for the local body elections concluding on Thursday, attention now shifts to the counting of votes on Saturday a verdict seen as a key indicator ahead of the assembly elections How counting will unfold Counting begins at 8 am on Saturday 244 counting centres have been set up across the state Postal votes for the 14 district panchayats will be counted by district collectors at the respective collectorates Votes for the grama, block and district panchayats will be counted at the block level Postal ballots will be counted first at the returning officers table, followed by EVM votes Only the control units of EVMs will be brought to the counting centres Strong rooms storing EVMs will be opened in the presence of returning officers, observers, candidates and their agents Entry to counting centres is restricted to persons authorised by the returning officers
22 C
