Vadakara MLA K K Rema has hit out against labelling women who lost their husbands as widows. Her husband TP Chandrasekharan, who left CPM to form the Revolutionary Marxist Party, was brutally murdered in 2012.
Members and supporters of the CPM were arrested and convicted for the murder.
It is in this context that veteran CPM leader and former minister MM Mani's insensitive remarks on her widowhood made in Kerala's Legislative Assembly on Friday triggered a political debate on the matter.
Mani had also used an 'unnecessary' honorific, Mahati (respected woman) in his unprovoked speech, for which he has refused to apologise.
Reacting to the issue, Rema told Manorama News that she was shellshocked at the remark. The MLA has also questioned the political correctness of labelling women who lost their spouses merely as widows.
"Why only women are labelled?" Rema asked. "There are so many men who have lost their wives, have we heard them being labelled this way?"
Rema said, "only those who experienced it (death of a spouse) would know the mindset of a woman who has gone through this". "I never expected such a response from a member of the communist party which is supposed to dissuade people from insulting women."
'Change your ways'
Rema who endorsed the political ideology of her late husband and became an MLA said she holds no grudge toward Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whom she had dubbed a dictator earlier.
"I don't have enmity toward them, but the embers won't die out because comrade Chandrasekharan had devoted his life to that party. The same party then killed comrade Chandrasekharan who was like a member of their family. But I hold no grudge.
"He (MM Mani) is probably as old as my father, who to this day is a communist. When such a person makes such a comment, shouldn't we correct them?
"Let them do a self-examination and correct their ways. But are they willing to admit their mistakes? Rema asked.
