Wrong to reveal rape victim’s identity: Brinda Karat on K Radhakrishnan

New Delhi: CPI-M politburo member Brinda Karat on Monday said it was wrong from the part of party’s Thrissur District Secretary K Radhakrishnan to reveal the name of the victim in the Wadakancherry gang rape case.

“It is disastrous that the victim felt she won’t get justice from the police. She did not get justice in the two years of the UDF rule is also a serious matter. The CPI-M took action soon after the matter was raised. The Chief Minister has also taken up the matter. So, the party does not need to discuss it anymore,” Karat said.

Her remarks bear significance as state Health Minister KK Shailaja had on Sunday defended Radhakrishnan, saying he did no wrong in revealing the name of a rape survivor. It was not a "big deal," she said of the act that is punishable by two years in prison.

The Congress has stepped up its attack on Radhakrishnan, who is also a former Assembly Speaker, with KPCC President V M Sudheeran seeking legal steps against him.

Kannam Rajendran, state secretary of CPI, a partner in the ruling LDF, said "all citizens are equal before law. Legal action should be initiated if anybody has committed anything wrong", he said.

BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan had also demanded action against Radhakrishnan, a former minister,

Giving details of the rape victim is punishable under IPC section 228 (A) (disclosure of identify of the victim), he said, adding, Radhakrishnan had "deliberately" used the woman's name.

While addressing the media on November 4 at Thrissur on the suspension of two party workers who had been named by the victim, Radhakrishnan had mentioned the woman's name.

The rape victim had appeared before the media here on November 3, alleging that Jayanthan, CPI-M Wadakancherry municipal council member, had raped her along with three of his friends two years ago and continued to mentally harass her