The murder of a youth Congress worker, Shuhaib, in Kannur has raked up a political controversy in the state, with both the Congress and the BJP accusing the CPI (M) of the crime.
The row further intensified after Guptan CK, a former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, put up a Facebook post in which he alleged that Shuhaib was doing "goonda" activities in Kannur. But what has sparked the outrage is that Guptan, who is also the son-in-law of the late communist icon EMS Namboodiiripad, has ridiculed KK Rema, wife of slain leader TP Chandrasekharan in the post.
The post reads: " The mind of a woman who uses her husband's death to give a setback to the CPI (M) is worse than a dung pit."
Rema is a former member of the CPI (M). Her husband, TP Chandrasekharan, was a vibrant party leader. He parted ways with the party in 2009 and founded the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP). In one of the most shocking political crimes that the state witnessed, Chandrasekharan, known as TP, was killed in May 2012.
The CPI (M) stands accused of the conspiracy behind the crime. Rema, since then, has stood firm on her stand against the CPI (M) and is very vocal on social and political issues. Now, several feel that Guptan has unnecessarily dragged her into the Shuhaib murder controversy through his Facebook post.
Guptan’s post further reads: “The man who was killed is a close associate of Sudhakaran. He always used to accompany Sudhakaran. He used to carry out goonda activities in Kannur. He used to execute Sudhakaran's orders. Whenever there is a political killing in Kannur, all the blame is on the CPI (M), it began years ago. The Congress and the BJP are united to destroy the CPI (M).”
Sudhakaran is the most powerful Congress leader in Kannur.
The post also says: "Those who had killed TP Chandrasekharan are behind the scenes. It should be probed whether the RMP itself is behind the murder of Chandrasekharan. The murder in Kannur is an act done jointly by the Congress, the RMP and the BJP, to isolate the CPI (M)."
Guptan has been facing sharp criticism for his attack on Rema.
Noted writer Saradakutty says in her post: “The language used by Cyber Goondas… but when that language is used by the son-in-law of EMS, and that too, the life partner of the government appointed State Women's Commission member, my head is hanging with shame. Comrade, these words can be thrown back at any time. Because those who stand around us are also men, with the same rotten mind and tongue.”
Saradakutty has further said that the CPI (M) song, which says they don't discriminate on the basis of flag or colour, is true for the men when it comes to the language they use against women.
Social media users, especially women, have slammed Guptan's misogynistic comments.
Suneetha Teevee, Assistant Professor at Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, in her post says, "Rema was the most outstanding campaigner of the SFI during her college days. Her entry into politics was not after the death of TP. She can be either opposed or supported as in the case of any other political leader. But ridiculing her is not at all desirable."
Amala Sahfeek, who previously worked at Hawar International School, says in a post that she “can't agree with a brand of politics that targets woman by abusing her."
'I should also say that the death of TP Chandrasekharan is an unhealed wound in my heart," she has further said.