He has been in trouble in the past before for allegedly making offensive comments about women, and now senior CPI(M) MLA and former minister MM Mani is under fire from the Opposition and an ally for telling Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) MLA KK Rama that “it was her fate to become a widow”. Rama’s husband TP Chandrasekharan who broked away from the CPI(M) to float the RMP in 2008, was killed by men linked to the CPI(M) in 2012 at Vadakara in Kozhikode.
Despite Opposition parties and Left Democratic Front (LDF) member CPI deploring Mani’s comments, neither the former minister nor his party is in a mood to relent. Following Chandrasekharan’s brutal murder then CPI(M) state secretary and incumbent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan did not lament the murder instead said “a class traitor would always remain a class traitor”.
Mani made the headlines at the time too, saying the CPI(M) had a history of killing rivals after preparing a list. At a party meeting on May 25, 2012, the CPI(M) leader, then the Idukki district secretary, said, “We had prepared a list: one, two, three, four. Don’t you understand? The first one was shot dead. The second one was beaten to death. The third one was stabbed to death …” The police later reopened these three cases and Mani was arrested on conspiracy charges. A high court earlier this year allowed his discharge petition.
In last year’s Assembly elections, Rama won from Vadakara with the backing of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). The seat was considered a Left stronghold and the loss in the prestige battle left a bitter taste in the mouth of the ruling party even though the LDF retained power by bagging 99 of the 140 Assembly seats.
The current controversy was triggered by Rama’s critical comments about the state home department that is in the CM’s control. The MLA hit out at the state police during an Assembly discussion, saying, “The chief minister is an emergency on move.”
Responding to her, Mani said on Thursday, “A lady spoke here against the chief minister, against the LDF Government. She is a widow, it is her fate. We are not responsible.”
This triggered a political maelstrom, with the Opposition demanding Mani apologise for his “anti-women” comment. The Opposition’s protests forced Speaker MB Rajesh to adjourn proceedings on Thursday and the following day too, as the proceedings began, UDF MLAs trooped into the House well in protest over the issue and then boycotted the proceedings. This forced the Speaker to again adjourn the House of the day.
Opposition Leader VD Satheesan of the Congress leader said Mani’s comment was inhumane and illustrated the CPI(M)’s misogyny. “Rama’s husband Chandrasekharan was killed as per the order of the CPI(M) party court. Don’t force me to say who was the judge, who sentenced Chandrasekharan to death.”
Rama said, “CPI(M) has confessed in the Assembly that they murdered Chandrasekharan. People know whose verdict that was. I have criticised the policies of the state government.”
Not only the Opposition, the CPI has also criticised Mani’s remark. Senior CPI leader Annie Raja said it was highly deplorable to make references to tragedies faced by women in life. “Such words should not have come from a Communist. We cannot accept the stand that anything can be stated to win a political debate,’’ she said.
But the CPI(M) has backed Mani, with CM Pinarayi Vijayan saying there was nothing wrong with what the Udumbanchola MLA said. On Saturday, responding to Raja, Mani said, “She would say so. She is in Delhi. Her making is in Delhi, not Kerala. I am not bothered about what she said.”
CPI hit back at Mani, with its Idukki district secretary KK Sivaraman saying, “if Annie Raja’s making is in Delhi, what is CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat’s making? She is also in Delhi. Mani has a habit of making derogatory comments about women. His words reflect his culture. He is frequently using boorish language. He cannot be allowed to take advantage of his rustic background.”
Mani has been credited with building the CPI(M)’s organisation in Idukki, where the CPI had a strong base among plantation workers. But despite his penchant for kicking up rows, Mani was made the power minister in the previous CPI(M) government. At the time, the party gave him a directive to not draw it into such controversies. But, in 2017, the senior leader kicked up a row with his comments targeting IAS officers involved in eviction drives in Munnar and women workers of tea estates in the area. Pinarayi Vijayan defended him at the time too, saying Mani’s colloquial language had been “distorted and magnified” by the media.
Old grudge
Rama has faced constant attacks from the CPI(M) — in real life and online — since she won in Vadakara. Days before Mani’s remark, CPI(M) central committee member and Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem told her, “Your legislatorship is a gift for having betrayed the party. Don’t be so arrogant.”
The CPI(M) has never been able to live down Chandrashekharan’s decision to break away from it and form his own party. Apart from Vijayan’s “class traitor” remark, the CPI(M)’s disdain for the deceased RMP leader and his wife is also exemplified by how, in 2020, when convicted CPI(M) leader PK Kunjanandan died, the party gave him a public farewell. CPI(M) leaders have also made it a point to attend the family functions of the convicted partymen.
