Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan on Sunday landed in trouble for his 'unsavoury' remark on former CPM firebrand woman activist Sindhu Joy who left the party to join Congress in the last Assembly elections.
The 88-year-old CPM veteran's remarks evoked sharp reactions from women's outfits, including pro-CPM All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA).
Achuthanandan made the remark to buttress his argument that R Selvaraj, who resigned membership of Kerala assembly and CPM on Friday, would meet a similar fate.
Reacting sharply, Joy said such a remark from a senior leader was most painful and asked the CPM leadership to rein him in. "I am an unmarried woman with no parents. This type of remark will have an adverse effect on my future. Achuthanandan should have remembered he also has a daughter," she said, adding that she would campaign for the UDF in the Piravom Assembly bypoll.
Joy, who was a firebrand leader of CPM's students' wing SFI, left the party just before the Assembly polls last year following differences with the leadership.
AIDWA leader and Rajya Sabha member TN Seema (CPM) said nobody could justify use of such words against women and hoped Achuthanandan would correct himself. But she said it would be improper for Congress-led UDF to use this as a weapon to attack the LDF in the Piravom campaign.
AIDWA state leader KK Shylaja also expressed similar sentiments and said the remark could have been avoided.
Mahila Congress leader Shanimol Usman condemned the remark and demanded an apology from him and said the party should take steps to control Achuthanandan.
Congress leaders, including KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala also came out strongly against the remark, saying it amounted to insulting womanhood.
Meanwhile, later in the day, Achuthanandan clarified his remarks were misinterpreted. He said he was only referring to 'Congress culture', which use leaders coming from other parties for temporary gains and later throw them out.
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