THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An insensitive comment from State Women’s Commission chairperson and CPM central committee member M C Josephine to a woman who complained of domestic violence during a TV call-in programme has invited widespread criticism.
The CPM is reportedly upset over the development while other political parties, including CPI’s youth wing AISF, have sought her removal from the post.
None of the CPM leaders came forward to Josephine’s defence.
During the TV show, Josephine asked the caller if she had filed a police complaint against domestic violence.
The woman said she hadn’t, to which she quipped: “Then you suffer”.
She has also been accused of making other rude comments during the show.
To another caller, she remarked that women are the ones who make all the mistakes.
Josephine later came out with a clarification that she had only reacted spontaneously to the woman.
Widespread protests against Josephine’s commentsThe girl said she was not ready to give a police complaint.
My reaction came spontaneously and I apologize to her if my words have hurt her,” she said.
However, CPM sources said the party secretariat meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday was likely to take up the incident.
Senior CPM leader and former minister P K Sreemathi said Josephine should correct her mistake if she said so.
“Public servants should behave politely to people.
She owes an explanation if she made such a comment,” she said.
Protests against the remark erupted in social media also while Youth Congress activists took out protest marches in various places.
KPCC president K Sudhakaran said the incident would lead to people losing their trust in government systems and services.
“If a woman who faces domestic violence has only to file a police complaint, then what is the use of a women’s commission,” he asked.
Youth Congress leaders K S Sabarinathan and V T Balram were among those who criticised the chairperson on social media.
BJP leader Shobha Surendran sought the intervention of the National Women’s Commission and Union minister Smriti Irani in the matter.
“The chairperson of Kerala Women’s Commission is an intolerant hostile CPM leader who condemned a domestic violence complainant on live TV and condoned abuse,” she tweeted.
Mahila Morcha state president Nivedita Subramanian also demanded the ouster of Josephine from the post.
“The commission should be headed by somebody who can handhold women facing hardships,” she said.
The morcha will approach the National Women’s Commission to solve problems being faced by Kerala women and hold agitations against the state women’s commission, she said.