Though she had to quit as head of Kerala Women’s Commission last week following widespread protests against remarks made by her towards a victim of domestic violence, M C Josephine, the CPI(M) leader found herself in another controversy on Monday.
Ace athlete Mayookha Johny, national record holder in triple jump, held a press meet at Thrissur on Monday and alleged that Josephine tried to hush up a sexual assault case that happened in 2016 to save the hunter. “The Police to whom we complained showed scant regard to us following the interference of Josephine and since then the hunter has been threatening the victim,” said Johny. The athlete said that the victim was a close friend of her.
“The incident happened in 2016. Johnson, the accused, has been tormenting my friend for quite some time. Though she saved herself on many occasions from the marauding Johnson, he once trespassed into her house and molested her. The man also filmed the victim in compromising position.” Said Mayookha.
The victim filed a complaint against Johnson immediately after the incident. But the police, though kind enough to assure the victim of all possible help, Josephine who was a close friend of the accused entered the scene and hushed up the case. “Even after this, he continued to threaten the victim and tried to misbehave with her as he had the tacit support of Josephine,” charged Mayookha Johny.
Though Josephine was removed from the post of Chairperson of the Womens Commission, she continues to be the member of the Central Committee of the CPI(M), the elite and apex policy decision making body of the party. The membership of the Central Committee of the CPI(M) is a coveted position because of the vast international contacts offered by the august body.
“The media do not forget the fact that I am a CC member of the party and I can even warn the State Secretaries of the party. I had issued a stern warning to the present State Secretary Vijayaraghavan over a comment which he had made against a Congress leader,” Josephine had told reporters after submitting her resignation as women’s panel chief.