A screenhot of the moment when the biting incident is said to have occurred (Courtesy: Reporter TV) A screenhot of the moment when the biting incident is said to have occurred (Courtesy: Reporter TV)

It seems the controversies surrounding the Kerala Budget will never end. On Friday, senior Congress leader and Kozhikode DCC president K C Abu stirred a hornet’s nest by suggesting that MLA E S Bijimoll enjoyed the moments when she was stopped in the House by Minister Shibu Baby John.

During the Assembly mayhem last Friday, John stood in the way od Bijimol as she was rushing towards the seat of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

A member of the Congress state committee, Abu said: “From long experience in family life I can read the facial expressions of women. I could not see any objection from Bijimol’s side when John blocked her. John knows where to hold to tame Bijimol. She enjoyed the moments with John. She is unlikely to have any complaint against John. That is what I could understand.”

That was not all. Referring to LDF legislator Jameela Prakasam’s allegation that Congress legislator K Sivadasan Nair had insulted her, Abu said: “Why did Prakasam go after that aged man Nair. She could have bitten P K Basheer (IUML) who looks like sugar cane.”

As the Congress leader’s comments against women legislators created an uproar, KPCC state president V M Sudheeran said Abu should publicly apologise for his remarks or face disciplinary action.

Abu said he would apologise later.

Minister Shibu Baby John said the comments were unfortunate. “Only a person who has perverted intention can make such observations,” said the minister.

Left organisations took out a protest march to the house of Abu in Kozhikode, demanding that a case be registered against him.

Two days back, Congress legislator M A Vahid, who is facing allegations of manhandling Left legislator K K Lathika, had made simlar comments. “Bijimol was rushing like airavat. But, she did not put forth any force on John. Instead, they looked like lovers,” he had said.

Meanwhile, a Kerala Congress activist complained to the police that a case should be filed against Nair and John on charges of attacking women legislators. The police have handed over the complaint to Speaker N Sakthan on the ground that the incident took place inside the Assembly.

The five LDF women legislators will file separate complaints on Monday, the day the Assembly resumes. They have decided so after that the Speaker failed to look into their complaints.

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