Palakkad: The CPM has found itself mired in controversy after it emerged on Thursday that the woman who dumped her newborn baby by the wayside last week allegedly was sexually abused and impregnated by a DYFI activist at the party’s area committee office in Cherpulassery in Kerala's Palakkad district.
Based on her complaint, the Mankara Police registered a case and the investigation was handed over to the Cherpulassery police, the superintendent of police, Palakkad, said.
Meanwhile, the CPM is said to have launched a desperate bid to pacify the complainant and settle the issue as fast as possible fearing that the incident could lead to a serious backlash and deal a major blow to the party's prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The newborn was found abandoned at Nagaripuram within the Mannur panchayat limits around 1 pm on March 16.
The sexual abuse came to light after the woman, who was detained in connection with the incident, revealed to the cops that she was lured through the false promise of marriage and was forced to have sex against her wishes at the party office by the accused.
Currently, the woman and the child are kept under observation at the district hospital in Palakkad.
The police have also recorded the statement of the accused youth.
Both of them were students of a college in Cherpulassery and active members of the party’s youth wing when the incident took place.
It was learnt that the girl told the police that the accused took her to the room allotted to the youth wing in the party office on the pretext of discussing matters related to the publication of college magazine and sexually abused her.
At that time, the girl’s family was living in a rented house in the area. According to sources, the accused has told the police that he used to regularly meet the girl at her home.
Terming the allegations baseless and untrue, CPM Cherpulassery area secretary K B Subhash said he had no knowledge of the complaint of sexual abuse at the party office.
“There is every reason to suspect a planned conspiracy to malign the party ahead of the elections. The victim or the accused have no close association with the CPM and they do not hold any party position. We are open to any investigation,” he said.
'Rape centres'
Attacking the CPM, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that it was unfortunate that party offices of the CPM have become 'rape centres. I have regret in saying this. But that is the fact'.
"Women are unsafe in Kerala in the LDF regime," Chennithala alleged.
Palakkad's MP, M B Rajesh, who is seeking a re-election on LDF ticket in the April 23 Lok Sabha polls, has demanded that truth should come out as early as possible.
Protesting against the incident, Youth Congress workers took out a march to the CPM's Cheruplassery area committee office and raised slogans.
