The Kerala Congress on Sunday expelled its senior leader, Simi Rose Bell John, from primary membership due to alleged derogatory remarks against women leaders of the party. This action was announced in a press release by the Congress Kerala unit General Secretary, M Liju, who stated that KPCC President K Sudhakaran had expelled John, a former AICC member and PSC member, from the party. The press release elaborated that John’s accusations aimed at mentally harassing and defaming lakhs of women leaders and workers within the Congress movement, allegedly in collusion with political adversaries. Notably, women leaders from the KPCC Political Affairs Committee, KPCC office bearers, and Mahila Congress State President, among others, had collectively requested the KPCC leadership to take disciplinary action against John. The release asserted that the KPCC was convinced John’s actions constituted a serious breach of discipline, necessitating this disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, KPCC chief K Sudhakaran declared that the party would investigate a complaint filed by the Mahila Congress against Simi Rose Bell John. Sudhakaran stated, “Mahila Congress has filed a complaint against Simi Rose Bell John’s allegations. Simi made bad remarks against the leaders. Her allegations are baseless. KPCC will investigate the complaint filed by Mahila Congress.”
In response to the charges leveled by the Congress, Simi Rose Bell John, during a press conference in Kochi, lashed out at the party. She asserted that a person who had served the party for a long time was previously expelled on the basis of alleged conspiracy with CPI(M), despite the lack of concrete evidence. She claimed that if the party possessed evidence, it should be made public. Further, she alleged that the state president of Mahila Congress, Lathika Subash, had shared her pain with her, revealing that she was also expelled from the party, hinting at similar reasons. John also mentioned that K Karunakaran’s daughter, Padmaja Venugopal, had been insulted and expelled, and she had even publicly expressed her grievances about the incident.
John expressed her belief that women with self-respect wouldn’t be able to work in this party, highlighting her own expulsion as an example. She asserted that her only mistake was becoming the voice of women within the party. She challenged the party to prove her alleged conspiracy with CPI(M), claiming that they were trying to suppress a helpless widow like her. She also alleged that VD Satheesan, the leader of the opposition, was not afraid of anyone, and many individuals who were previously associated with her now hold important positions within the party. John expressed her fear for her safety, stating that she felt scared to walk on the road due to the potential for harm.
This situation highlights a growing internal conflict within the Kerala Congress, fueled by allegations of misconduct and a perceived suppression of women’s voices. The party’s investigation into the complaint filed by the Mahila Congress will likely shed further light on this complex issue.
