New Delhi: On Friday, CPI national executive member Annie Raja demanded that CPM immediately hand over to the police the sexual harassment complaint against former Palakkad district secretary EN Suresh Babu. She said the complainant must get justice and stressed that while CPM could conduct its own enquiry, allegations against a party functionary warranted a police investigation.Her remarks came amid reports that a woman lawyer had complained to CPM that Babu had behaved in an improper manner with her at the party office and had harassed her on the phone for nearly a year. The woman had reportedly approached the party’s state leadership and met CPM state secretary MV Govindan.On Thursday, senior CPM leader PK Sreemathy had said her party had a tradition of taking action against those accused of harassing women, irrespective of their position. In a Facebook post, she wrote that her party had acted against such persons in the past and would continue to do so in future. Babu was removed as Palakkad district secretary at an expanded district committee meeting on Oct 6, amid the allegations against him though CPM has not publicly admitted the reasons for his ouster from the post.Former CPM MLA K K Shailaja said she was not fully aware of the reasons for Babu’s removal or the complaints against him.Chairperson P Satheedevi said the women’s commission had not received a written complaint in this case and added that it is duty-bound to take action if a written complaint is given.
