Kerala Youth Congress chief Rahul Mamkootathil asks woman on phone ‘won't people call the child a bastard’

Kerala Youth Congress president and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil finds himself in the middle of a storm after a phone conversation in which he was allegedly heard forcing a woman to abort a pregnancy. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) will not back Rahul, who will be forced to resign as the Youth Congress chief, reports said.

 

 

The development comes a day after former media person and actor Rini Ann George accused a young political leader of making improper advances. Later, another woman also came forward on social media against the MLA, levelling similar allegations against him. On Thursday morning, Malayalam television channels aired the recorded telephonic conversation in which Rahul Mamkootathil was heard trying to convince a woman to abort her pregnancy.

Earlier, social media posts by several people had accused him of impregnating a journalist outside of marriage and convincing her to abort. When he was asked about the accusation, Rahul had replied with a vague "Who cares" remark. When Rini George was asked if it was the Palakkad MLA that she was accusing of misbehaviour, including inviting her to a five-star hotel, she did not give any names but did use the "Who cares" remark in her answer, further strengthening the doubts that it was indeed Rahul she meant.

 

However, the matter exploded after several television channels came out with the phone conversation in which Rahul can be heard telling the woman that "Won't the public call the child a bastard whenever they see it?" to which the woman asks "Will a child descend to earth without a father?" Rahul then asks, "Who will you point to as the father of the child?" and is answered, "I will tell that to the child, others need not bother about it." 

 

 

 

When Rahul asks "Who will you show as the father (of the kid)?", she says, "I will point at you, who else should I point towards?" "That's what is being said... will that not become an issue for me?" Her next question goes, "How does it become an issue for you?" and the MLA retorts "How it will not..."

 

Earlier, AICC general secretary Deepadas Munshi, who is in charge of Kerala, had received a complaint from Congress women leaders against Rahul. Deepadas Munshi asked the state Congress leadership to investigate the matter. The Kerala leadership's stance remains that there is no need to protect Rahul if he is guilty. Rahul Mamkootathil entered the Kerala assembly in a by-election following incumbent Palakkad legislator Shafi Parambil's victory in the Lok Sabha.

India