MORALITY AND SEXUAL HARRASSMENT -- TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES

The stand adopted by bourgeois parties like Congress vis-à-vis morality is ridiculous as compared to CPI(M) and other left parties.  Whereas CPI(M) and left parties take corrective actions in cases  wherein allegations of sexual harassment and related issues the former  does not take any disciplinary/corrective action against the persons involved.  There are two glaring cases in point which has happened in the recent past.  We cannot forget the fact that one of the leaders of Congress viz., Jacob Stephen who was Kottayam District Council member was an accused in the ‘Suryanelli Sexual Harrassment Case; however,  Congress has not taken any disciplinary action against him even thought his involved was proved beyond doubt.  Similarly, when another Congress leader  Raj Mohan Unnithan was caught by the people with a lady during the odd hours of night at a hotel in Manjery which has led to a lot of furore in political circles, Congress Party failed to take disciplinary action against him and exonerated him  of the charges.  In sharp contrast, CPI(M) had taken disciplinary action against its leaders on charges of sexual harassment.  While it was proved that the Secretary of  CPI(M) Punjab State Committee, who happened to be a Central Committee Member, had  tried to sexually harass a deceased party member’s widow, he was expelled from the party.  Interestingly, he has joined Congress  after being expelled from CPI(M).  Also when  allegation of attempt to resort to sexual harassment was levelled against W.R.Varadarajan, another Central Committee member from Tamil Nadu  by an woman, party had conducted enquiry based on which he was removed from all his positions in the party.  As ill luck would have it, he was missing for a few days and finally his dead body was recovered from a pool.  Alas, a lot of hue and cry was unleashed on this issue by the Congress and  their lackeys assisted by almost all the main newspapers like Malayala Manorama.  In  their view,  CPI(M) had acted in a cruel manner by acting against Varadarajan which led to his suicide forgetting conveniently that he was not expelled but only removed from the positions held in the party as the allegation that he had sent SMS with sexual motive to a lady was proved in the enquiry held against him. Many such instances can be cited wherein CPI(M) and other left parties take disciplinary action against their cadre irrespective of whether it  is a leader or not, after conducting enquiry in the allegations of sexual harassment.

From the above  it can be stated in no uncertain terms that the stand of CPI(M) and other  left parties vis-à-vis matters connected with morality and sexual harassment is praiseworthy as compared to parties like Congress.