Congress MP Muraleedharan booked for derogatory remarks against TVM Mayor

Arya Rajendran and K Muraleedharan.

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Vadakara K Muraleedharan has been booked by the police for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran.

Police on Tuesday said a case has been registered against the Congress leader under IPC sections 354A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) on the basis of the complainant filed by Arya Rajendran, a CPI(M) member, alleging that he had insulted her womanhood by making derogatory remarks against her during a protest in front of the corporation office here on Monday.

However, Muraleedharan, who had said that 'though the Mayor was beautiful, she utters expletives that would put Kodungallur bharanipaatu to shame', refused to retract his statement.

"But if my statement caused her emotional trauma, I apologise for that. I do not hesitate to say it. I do not want any of my statements to hurt anyone personally," added Muraleedharan, a Member of Parliament, who lost in this year's Assembly polls.

He said he doesn't see anything vulgar in saying that someone is beautiful. He, however, added that the Mayor was "immature".

The controversial statement made during a Congress protest meeting alleging corruption charges on the incumbent city corporation council.

"I am not scared of the complaint, there are plenty of cases against me and this is just another one," Muraleedhran said.

The Kodungallur Bharani songs are folk songs mixed with abusive words sung at the famous Devi temple in Kodungallur in Thrissur district during the famous Meena Bharani festival there. Such songs are sung by thousands of oracles assemble at the temple as part of a ritual on the occasion.

Muraleedharan alleged that the corporation was witnessing unprecedented corruption in the LDF rule and the Mayor could not shirk from her responsibilities.

Both the CPI(M) and its youth outfit DYFI have flayed Muraleedharan for his remarks against 22-year-old Rajendran, one of the youngest Mayors in the country. She became the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 21 after the CPI(M)-led LDF swept the local body polls held last year.

Meanwhile, the Mayor said that the corporation was determined to take action on corrupt officials, who are accused of misappropriating tax money. She said that four of the accused have been arrested so far.

(With PTI inputs)

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.