‘Offensive’ remarks against women: MM Mani says will resign if CPI(M) asks him to

Mani was slammed for remarks that allegedly questioned the character of women activists of a plantation workers’ outfit in the district and some of his own party colleagues.

Kerala power minister and senior CPI(M) leader MM Mani, whose remarks against women plantation workers triggered a row, said on Monday he was prepared to resign if asked by the party.

MM Mani has been accused of making offensive remarks against women. (Picture courtesy: Kerala govt website)

“Only if my party asks, will I resign”, he told reporters at Kunchithanni, a day after opposition parties and activists demanded his resignation and an apology.

Mani was slammed for remarks that allegedly questioned the character of women activists of a plantation workers’ outfit in the district and some of his own party colleagues.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said, “If any offensive statement was made against them (the women), it was improper.”

The 70-year old minister had on Sunday expressed regret for his remarks against the women workers, who have launched an agitation demanding his ouster.

He had also claimed his remarks were wrongly interpreted by the media and that he had not made any offensive remarks against the women workers.

Mani, who has been embroiled in controversies, refused to apologise, saying, “Let them sit there and agitate.”

He said the chapter was closed and he had nothing more to add while and would not visit the agitating workers.

Protesting the remarks, some of the women workers had launched an agitation on Sunday. The protest continued on Monday.

Meanwhile, vehicles kept off roads and shops remained closed in the hilly district in view of a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the NDA.

The opposition Congress led UDF is also lending support to the women’s agitation by observing a ‘black day’.

Mani had also accused an IAS officer of plotting with the RSS to pull down a cross on an encroached piece of land in Munnar.

The CPI(M) leader had stirred up a controversy few years ago by openly stating that the party had eliminated political rivals in his home district, Idukki.