Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader VS
Achuthanandan on Sunday landed in trouble for his `unsavoury`
remark on former CPI-M firebrand woman activist Sindhu Joy who
left the party to join Congress in the last Assembly
elections.
The 88-year-old CPI-M veteran`s remarks evoked sharp
reactions from women`s outfits, including pro-CPI-M All India
Democratic Women`s Association (AIDWA).
Achuthanandan made the remark to buttress his argument
that R Selvaraj, who resigned membership of Kerala assembly
and CPI-M on Friday, would meet a similar fate.
Reacting sharply, Joy said such a remark from a senior
leader was most painful and asked the CPI-M leadership to rein
him in. "I am an unmarried woman with no parents. This type of
remark will have an adverse effect on my future. Achuthanandan
should have remembered he also has a daughter," she said,
adding that she would campaign for the UDF in the Piravom
Assembly bypoll.
Joy, who was a firebrand leader of CPI-M`s students` wing
SFI, left the party just before the Assembly polls last year
following differences with the leadership.
AIDWA leader and Rajya Sabha member TN Seema (CPI-M)
said nobody could justify use of such words against women and
hoped Achuthanandan would correct himself. But she said it
would be improper for Congress-led UDF to use this as a weapon
to attack the LDF in the Piravom campaign.
AIDWA state leader KK Shylaja also expressed similar
sentiments and said the remark could have been avoided.
Mahila Congress leader Shanimol Usman condemned the
remark and demanded an apology from him and said the party
should take steps to control Achuthanandan.
Congress leaders, including KPCC president Ramesh
Chennithala also came out strongly against the remark, saying
it amounted to insulting womanhood.
Meanwhile, later in the day, Achuthanandan clarified his
remarks were misinterpreted. He said he was only referring to
`Congress culture`, which use leaders coming from other
parties for temporary gains and later throw them out.
PTI
