Will take legal action against two CPI-M leaders: Kerala woman

A Dalit woman Anjana who, along with her elder sister, was arrested on charge of trespassing a CPI-M office in Thalaserry on Monday said she will take legal action against two Left leaders for "portraying her in a poor light during a TV debate".

Anjana alleged she was assailed by CPI-M's Kannur district Vice-President T.P. Divya and Thalassery CPI-M legislator A.M. Shamsheer during the debate.

Speaking to the media at a hospital where she was admitted after an alleged suicide attempt, the young woman said she will take legal action against the two leaders for "insulting" her.

"The statements they made against me, an unmarried young woman, have hurt me," Anjana said.

Anjana, 25, and her sister Akhila, 30, were arrested by Thalaserry police on Friday following a complaint that they had trespassed into a Communist Party of India-Marxist office in Thalassery and beat up two partymen.

A local court, before whom the two sisters were presented on Friday, sent them and Akhila's 18-month-old infant to Kannur jail. On Saturday, both sisters were granted conditional bail by a court.

The two sisters -- daughters of Congress leader N. Rajan -- refuted the charges against them and said they went to the CPI-M office to sort out issues with party officials who regularly verbally abused them while sitting in the office premises.

Meanwhile, speaking in Delhi, Kerala Minister for Scheduled Castes/Tribes Development A.K. Balan said no one belonging to these communities will suffer under the Left Democratic Front rule.

"I have sought a report on the case from the district collector," he said and defended Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan's remarks which were criticised by the opposition.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has decided to take up the case in the Kerala assembly's maiden session beginning on June 24.

--IANS

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