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The Kayamkulam constabulary connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) registered a lawsuit against expelled Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) person A. Irshad Chakkalassery for allegedly making sexist and misogynistic remarks against Left Democratic Front (LDF) campaigner U. Prathibha, MLA, astatine a nationalist meeting.
Alex Varghese, District Collector, Alappuzha, who is besides the District Election Officer, conducted a preliminary enquiry into a ailment lodged by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] mandalam committee. Mr. Varghese recovered prima facie usurpation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which deems defamatory oregon objectionable remarks to beryllium an infringement of predetermination rules.
The Media Certification and Monitoring Committee verified Mr. Irshad’s “defamatory and sexist” remarks and made a proposal to Mr. Varghese via the territory MCC monitoring panel.
Mr. Varghese instructed the constabulary to registry a lawsuit and analyse the matter. Subsequently, the Kayamkulam constabulary recorded Ms. Prathibha’s connection and charged Mr. Irshad with outraging the modesty of a pistillate and making baseless and misleading statements to unlawfully power the result of canvass results.
Officials said the constabulary were poised to contented a announcement to Mr. Irshad for questioning.
UDF connected the defensive
The onslaught connected Ms. Prathibha appeared to person enactment the UDF’s run successful Kayamkulam connected the defensive. Mr. Irshad’s nationalist apology and protestations that his connection was “cherry-picked and broadcast retired of context” notwithstanding, the IUML expelled him from the party’s superior membership.
The UDF campaigner successful the Kayamkulam constituency, M. Liju, apologised for the remarks against Ms. Prathibha. “Mr. Irshad is simply a bully person. Nevertheless, his off-the-cuff remark against a woman, though thoughtlessly articulated, successful the vigor of the moment, is condemnable,” helium added.
The UDF scrambled to salvage the situation, adjacent arsenic the CPI(M) ratcheted up the contented crossed the State. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan condemned the connection and lauded the IUML for expelling Mr. Irshad.
“The decisive enactment is reflective of the UDF’s feminist governmental position. In contrast, the CPI(M) has defended its leaders, including A. Vijayaraghavan, who disparaged UDF women leaders, including Ramya Haridas, K.K. Rema, Achu Ommen, and Veena S. Nair,” helium said.
Mr. Satheesan besides said the CPI(M) had not censured Ms. Prathibha, who had allegedly made disparaging comments against women journalists.
Congress person Uma Thomas besides condemned Mr. Irshad’s comments.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) and All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) activists held protestation marches successful Kayamkulam.
CM slams remarks
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told a property league astatine Muvattupuzha successful Ernakulam that “the sexist attack” connected Ms. Prathibha “mirrored the pernicious misogyny, overt and covert, successful the UDF leadership.”
“The defamatory onslaught had occurred astatine an predetermination normal attended by AICC wide caput K.C. Venugopal,” helium said.
CPI(M) State caput M.V. Govindan said the enactment would “expose the UDF’s ingrained prejudice against women” legally and politically.
