Kerala: Women's Commission directs DGP to register case over female candidate being 'insulted'

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Women's Commission yesterday directed the DGP to register a case and inquire into an incident in which IUML activists allegedly insulted a defeated woman candidate in the just concluded civic polls from Kannur district by making obscene gestures at a 'purdah' clad man during a victory march on November 7.

In a statement, Commission chairperson K C Rosakutty said the Commission had suo motu registered a case. In the controversial video grab, which has gone viral in social media and was aired by television channels today, young IUML activists were seen making lewd remarks and obscene gestures.

The Commission chairperson said the incident was an insult not only to the defeated woman candidate from Mattool gram panchayat's Madakara east ward, but also a humiliation to all women and was an "uncultured and obscene act".

Reacting to the incident, T N Seema, CPI(M)'s Rajya Sabha member, said strong action should be taken against those who stooped to such a behaviour. IUML should take strong action against those who indulged in such vandalism.

"League cannot escape from this. This is an attack on lakhs of women who came out in political mainstream," she said. Shahida Kamal, Congress activist, said this act cannot be accepted by a civilised society.

"A woman has been portrayed as a commodity. The victory procession by the youths is an example of that mindset. Strong action should be taken by authorities."

"This is insult to religion and humiliating womanhood," Noorbeena Rasheed, IUML women's leader said.

"Whoever has done it, it is wrong," she said adding none can hurt the sentiments of women. "We need to find out the truth behind the visuals," she said.