Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president Sunny Joseph said the party is taking seriously the scuffle involving Chirayinkeezhu MLA Ramya Haridas and local Congress functionaries. He said organisational discipline and propriety were not maintained in the incident and announced the appointment of a three-member committee to inquire into the matter and submit a report.The inquiry committee is headed by former KPCC president M M Hassan. KPCC general secretary Ramani P Nair, who was in-charge of the constituency during the recent election, and Neyyattinkara Sanal are the other members.Joseph said the party would take strong action against those found responsible after considering the findings in the inquiry report. He said the seriousness of the incident has been noted and that appropriate disciplinary action would follow.As part of the inquiry, the committee has reportedly directed representatives of both sides to appear before it in person on Sunday. The panel is expected to hear their versions of the incident before submitting its report.The visuals of the scuffle involving the MLA emerged on Friday night. Haridas alleged that she was attacked and threatened by local Congress functionaries. However, district panchayat member Sajith Muttambalam and party’s Koothalloor mandalam vice-president Sajad gave a different account, alleging that the MLA and her associates had confronted them over a WhatsApp post, following which a scuffle broke out.Meanwhile, police have registered cases against members of both groups in connection with the altercation.Based on a complaint filed by the MLA, Chirayinkeezhu police registered a case under non-bailable provisions, including sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Cases have been registered against seven people, including Sajith and Sajad.Haridas said she confronted the workers after being subjected to repeated derogatory remarks and that her response to Sajith was a natural reaction to the provocation.Sajith, however, dismissed the MLA’s version as “an act” and alleged that Palayam Pradeep, whom he<01Justify> claimed had been moving around posing as the MLA’s personal assistant, was responsible for triggering the issues.
