CPI-M accused of jailing Dalit women on false charges

Kannur: The Congress party in Kerala on Saturday accused the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in the state of misusing power to send two Dalit women to jail on false charges.

Two Dalit women -- Akhila, 30, and her 25-year-old sister Anjana -- were jailed on Friday for "trespassing into CPI-M office in Thalaserry and beating up two party men".

"This is the biggest joke, such a thing never happened... and that too, two hapless young women beating up CPI-M men at their office. These are absolutely ridiculous and baseless allegations," the Congress party's Kerala unit president V.M. Sudheeran said while addressing a party function in Thiruvananthapuram.

On Friday, Thalassery Police arrested Akhila and Anjana and presented them before a court that sent the two siblings and Akhila's 18-month-old baby to jail.

Both are daughters of Congress leader N. Rajan and his family has come under frequent ire of the CPI-M leaders after he contested the last year's local body election against Karayi Rajan, a top CPI-M leader at Thalaserry.

"They went to the CPI-M office to plead with those present there to leave them alone and not make them a subject of ridicule as they have been mentally harassed for long," said Kannur district Congress president K. Surendran.

CPI-M legislator A.M. Shamsheer, who represents Thalaserry constituency, said the two women trespassed into their party office and the law took its course after whatever happened.