Rini Ann George appears at CPM event, welcomed by party leader amid cyber attack fears

Paravur: Actor Rini Ann George, who had earlier levelled allegations against MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, made her first public appearance at a CPM event in Paravur, drawing widespread attention. The event, organised under the banner ‘Women’s Resistance’ by the CPM, focused on the issue of online abuse and harassment faced by women.

Rini, speaking at the event, expressed concern over the cyber attacks she has faced since speaking out. CPM leader KJ Shine formally welcomed her at the gathering, stating, "women like Rini should stand with this movement. While Rini is free to make her own decisions, we will wholeheartedly welcome her when the time of realisation comes."

The event itself was held in the backdrop of coordinated social media campaigns targeting Shine. Rini said her intention was never to target or bring down anyone personally, but to raise a question about how women are treated in politics.

"What I revealed was that I had faced inappropriate behaviour from a young political leader. But even then, I did not name the individual or the organisation, because I didn't wish to cause harm. My point was to question if this is the kind of conduct we expect from young leaders entering politics. Is this how women are to be treated? Even without naming anyone, I have been subjected to large-scale, terrifying cyber attacks," Rini said.

She added that what she experienced was relatively minor compared to what other women have gone through. It was only after learning that several young women had faced more serious behaviour from the same individual that she chose to speak out. Many of them, she said, remain silent out of fear, facing extreme intimidation and threats.

"I've been accused of colluding with the CPM, but that is false. Even now, while I speak here, I am afraid. Speaking up may lead to more attacks. But I now understand that I have a duty to speak a word, however small, on behalf of women. That’s why I chose to come here," she concluded.

The event was inaugurated by senior CPM leader K.K. Shailaja. Speaking at the gathering, she said the reason the young woman who accused Rahul Mamkootathil did not lodge an official complaint was due to the intense cyberbullying she faced from within a faction of the same political organisation.

Shailaja further alleged that the UDF had been “feeding and nurturing a cyber army of depraved individuals suffering from a sick mentality, in order to attack political opponents.” She also revealed that she herself had been the target of smear campaigns using forged letterheads and doctored images.