The Kerala Mahila Federation, on Sunday hit out at state Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) PC George for calling a nun, who accused a Bishop of rape, a "prostitute" and demanded action against him.
George, an independent MLA of the Poonjar constituency in the Kottayam district stoked a controversy earlier today after he termed the rape victim nun a "prostitute". "No one has doubt that the nun is a prostitute. 12 times she enjoyed it and the 13th time it is rape? Why didn't she complain the first time?" George had said.
Speaking to ANI, Kerala Mahila Federation vice president Indira Raveendran criticised George and said: "We all know that this MLA is a controversial figure. Of course, he sometimes tells truth and we also agree that, but for this disparaging comment, immediately a case should be registered against him for abusing the womanhood."
Besides Raveendran, Communist Party of India leader D Raja and, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Subhashini Ali also condemned George's remark.
"I strongly condemn this statement. I hope all democratic forces in the state of Kerala will condemn this statement in all possible strongest terms. This is not the way to speak. The nuns are agitating. Instead of addressing the issues, he is calling the nun like this. It's atrocious. The law must take its course in Kerala," Raja said.
Ali termed the MLA's statement "unfortunate," while saying that the nun has shown "great courage in making these allegations". "To make allegations within your own organisation against somebody, who is the head of it (Bishop) is not an easy job. It's not just one nun, there are many of them. After this, now more and more are speaking up and they have come out with facts and figures and all kinds of proof to backup the allegations that they are making," he told ANI.
"They have been the victims of not just one-day abuse, but over months and years. That suffering has finally forced them to speak out against the church to which they are committed and to which they belong. For an MLA to come out in public and accuse a person in this language is horrible. We really condemn this. This is a very terrible thing that he has said," she added.
On Saturday, a group of nuns staged a sit-in protest at the High Court Junction bus station in Kochi demanding the arrest of the Bishop.
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