CPM Leader’s Controversial Remarks on Palathayi POCSO Case Stir Row in Kannur
CPM Leader’s Controversial Remarks on Palathayi POCSO Case Stir Row in Kannur
KANNUR: A statement made by P. Hareendran, a member of the CPM Kannur District Secretariat, regarding the Palathayi sexual abuse case has sparked significant controversy. The contentious remarks from the CPM leader pertain to the case in which K. Padmarajan, a former local leader of the BJP and a teacher, was convicted.
Hareendran publicly alleged that the Muslim League and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) actively intervened in the Palathayi case primarily because the accused individual was a Hindu. He further questioned the organizations, asking if they demonstrated the same level of intervention and concern in incidents where Ustads (Islamic religious teachers) were accused of sexually abusing children in various parts of Kerala.
“It was the CPM that undertook the responsibility of managing this case for an extended period. During the proceedings, there was a noticeable lack of involvement from other parties in the case management or witness examinations. Their efforts, both then and now, have consistently aimed at manipulating this case to be adversarial towards the CPM, rather than genuinely offering support or assistance to the victim, the Palathayi girl,” Hareendran asserted.
He elaborated on his criticism, stating, “If their involvement was genuinely driven by sympathy for the abused girl, then we have witnessed numerous reports of girls and boys being subjected to abuse by Ustads across Kerala. Which of those Ustad abuse cases garnered such widespread controversy? No one bothers to investigate what transpired in those cases, nor have any action committees been established for them. Your core issue is not the act of abuse itself, but rather that the abuser is a Hindu and the victim is a Muslim – that is the singular focus of the SDPI. This, unequivocally, is communalism.”
The Thalassery Fast Track POCSO Court had, on November 15, sentenced Padmarajan to life imprisonment until death. Furthermore, he was officially dismissed from his service as a teacher. Minister V. Sivankutty confirmed on Sunday that the school manager had issued the necessary order for his dismissal.
The case, which originated in 2020, resulted in a severe punishment for Padmarajan. The court’s verdict included life imprisonment extending until death and a fine of one lakh rupees. Additionally, under two distinct sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he received a cumulative sentence of 40 years imprisonment and an additional fine of one lakh rupees. The court mandated that the accused must pay a total penalty of two lakh rupees.