KS Hariharan was speaking at an event in Vadakara, which was organised in response to the ruling LDF's charges that UDF workers had made a morphed video of Shailaja.
Published May 12, 2024 | 2:00 PM ⚊ Updated May 12, 2024 | 4:34 PM
File photo of KS Hariharan. (hariharankeyes/Facebook)
A leader of the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), a key constituent in the opposition Congress-led UDF, has courted controversy for making an alleged sexist remark against senior CPI (M) leader KK Shailaja and Malayalam film actress Manju Warrier.
RMP leader KS Hariharan made the objectionable remark on Saturday night while speaking at a meeting in Vadakara, which was inaugurated by Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan.
The event was organised in response to the ruling LDF’s charges that UDF workers had made a morphed video of Shailaja who was a candidate in Vadakara in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.
In April this year, Shailaja accused the Congress of engaging in personal attacks against her and spreading misinformation online. She had filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Vadakara Congress candidate Shafi Parambil.
She claimed that her morphed images were uploaded on an Instagram page named ‘Ente Vadkara KL18’, which predominantly featured content in support of the Congress party.
Hariharan countered Shailaja’s claims of experiencing cyber attacks during the election campaign and the circulation of morphed images of her.
Addressing the crowd, he questioned, ” Will anybody ever try to make a porn video of the teacher [KK Shailaja]? We can understand if anyone makes a porn video of women like Manju Warrier, will anybody make it?”
Hearing the blatantly sexist remark, the audience too burst into laughter.
As the remark sparked a huge political storm, his own party high command and the UDF openly criticised him and said Hariharan should not have made such objectionable comments against any woman.
Later, Hariharan came out with a Facebook post saying friends and journalists brought to his notice that he had made an “inappropriate” remark during the speech.
The senior leader, through the post, also expressed regret for his comment. Later, he clarified that it was not done intentionally, but a “natural slip of a tongue”.
However, the controversy has refused to die down as people from various walks of life including netizens voiced out against him.
While the CPI (M) leadership in Kozhikode indicated that the they would take legal action against the RMP leader, the Democratic Federation of India (DYFI), the party’s youth wing, demanded stringent action against him.
In a Facebook post on Saturday night, the DYFI alleged that the RMP leader’s speech underlies the “heinous anti-woman campaign” conducted by the UDF in Vadakara during the LS polls.
Describing the controversial speech as a “challenge to cultural Kerala”, the Left outfit also sought RMP leader and MLA KK Rema’s reaction to the objectionable comment.
Rema, who strongly advocated the women’s cause on various issues, said on Sunday that the party won’t support such remarks made by anyone.
“It was a remark made by an individual and the entire party could not be blamed for that,” she said adding that such statements were a reflection of the degradation that lies in the minds of people.
LoP VD Satheesan also said that the UDF does not endorse Hariharan’s controversial statement.
Terming the RMP leader’s anti-woman remark as ‘completely wrong’, he said political leaders should always set an example for others while speaking during a public programme.
Satheesan said he had informed Hariharan about his dissent soon after the programme and demanded that he withdraw it.
He said the UDF welcomed the stand taken by Hariharan who realised his mistake and expressed his deep regret over making such a remark.
The Congress leader also urged political leaders and activists to exercise extreme caution while levelling political accusations.
This is not the first time women are being targeted during political campaigns.
After former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s death, his son Chandy Oommen was campaigning for the bye-election in Puthuppally, when his younger sister Achu Oommen became the target of cyber bullying over her alleged “affluent” lifestyle.
Videos circulating on social media showing Achu wearing luxury brand watches, bags, shoes and dresses.
There were allegations that she was leading an expensive lifestyle, which was in contrast with the modest wealth and assets declared in the electoral affidavits of Oommen Chandy and Chandy Oommen.
(Edited by Shauqueen Mizaj, with PTI inputs)
