Veekshanam Backs Rahul Mamkoottathil as Congress Faces Heat Over Sexual Assault Allegations

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as Congress leaders face criticism over their support for Rahul Mamkoottathil, who is accused of sexual assault and forced-abortion allegations raised by a young woman, the Congress party’s official mouthpiece Veekshanam has come out in strong defence of the accused. In its editorial, the newspaper extended full support to Mamkoottathil, who is currently absconding.

The editorial claims that Rahul Mamkoottathil is the victim of a political conspiracy. “His only crime was defeating both the LDF and BJP with a historic majority in the Palakkad by-election. The rise of a group of young leaders of his generation within the Congress has created fear among opponents. Rahul should move forward cautiously without being shaken by slander campaigns or character assassination,” the editorial stated.

Meanwhile, the Congress leadership is reportedly reluctant to take any further action against Mamkoottathil. Reports suggest that he will not be asked to resign from the MLA post. Congress leaders defend their stance by saying that Mamkoottathil was already suspended when the allegations first emerged.

However, even after suspension, Mamkoottathil continued to receive support from the leadership. UDF leaders in his constituency, Palakkad, invited him to several public events. During the local body election campaign, Mamkoottathil actively campaigned for UDF candidates. He himself confirmed that no one in the leadership had asked him to stay away from election activities.

UDF convenor Adoor Prakash also defended Mamkoottathil while making remarks against the survivor. He alleged that the case was a trap set by the CPI(M), and that the survivor had become a tool in their hands. KPCC president M.M. Hassan accused the Chief Minister’s Office of summoning the woman and forcing her to file a complaint. Palakkad DCC president A. Thankappan mocked the woman, asking whether she had been “in hiding all this time.”

Amid all this, social media groups aligned with Mamkoottathil continue to target and abuse the young woman online.