'Is this women’s safety?' Anoop Jacob highlights Kala Raju's humiliation in Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: The opposition raised the issue of the abduction of councilor Kala Raju of Koothattukulam municipality in the Assembly. While giving a notice for an adjournment motion regarding this incident, Anoop Jacob MLA launched a barrage of allegations against the CPM. Referring to the Chief Minister's statement from the previous day, he asked in the Assembly whether insulting women’s dignity was what the CM boasted about when talking about the safety of women in Kerala.

Anoop questioned what kind of women’s safety it is when a female councilor of the CPM in the city is insulted, assaulted, and forcibly undressed by CPM leaders themselves, and abducted in a vehicle, while the police stood by and watched. He asked if shouting threats like "I will kick you" and screaming for murder constitutes women's safety.

“CPM area secretary Ratheesh and others stopped, assaulted, and abducted Kala Raju,” said Anoop, calling the entire sequence of events a disgrace to democracy. Anoop also stated that the LDF has no guts to respond to an ideological challenge regarding a no-confidence motion. "What is happening in Kerala is the reign of goons," Anoop added.

He described how Kala Raju was grabbed by the throat and stopped, and how the incident occurred while the Muvattupuzha DYSP watched helplessly. "She was abducted in the official vehicle of the former chairperson." Anoop highlighted the police inaction, saying they failed to intervene despite being just 500 meters away from the CPM area committee office, where Kala Raju was forcibly taken.

Anoop Jacob also quoted what Kala Raju had told him: "I have worked for the party for 25 years. They trampled on me. My nose was bleeding, and I struggled to breathe, fearing I might die. But I didn’t give up. When they tore my saree and skirt, I was broken. I wanted to hide somewhere to protect my dignity."

Anoop concluded by questioning whether this is the kind of situation women in Kerala should face—being subjected to insults in the middle of the city.