Lessons of sense of values

Allegations against politicians are double-edged. They not only put the accused on the defensive, but also the movement they belong to. If the allegation is sexual, the accused and the political party will be embarrassed from the moment it is launched. Corruption and sexual allegations against public servants are not new. There are prior experiences that prove that many of them were just stories made up with clear political motives. No one is sure about the truth of the sexual allegations levelled against Rahul Mamkootathil, the Palakkad MLA, a prominent figure in the youth wing of the Congress, and the state president of the Youth Congress. In any case, Rahul resigned from the organizational post within hours of his name being mentioned in connection with the allegation. His decision to step down from office without trying to defend himself against the allegations was most appropriate.

The firestorm of sexual allegations against Rahul was ignited by serious remarks made by an actress on Kaumudy's YouTube channel. The actress's remark was that a youth leader was sending her WhatsApp messages with malicious intent, and that she had complained to the party, but to no avail because he was a high-ranking person. The actress also alleged that many women leaders had had bad experiences with him, which led to speculation about who the person was. The next morning, another woman came forward, revealing the name of Rahul Mamkootathil. With that, the audio of him forcing a woman to have an abortion, screenshots of obscene chats, started coming out one after the other. It is believed that the KPCC president himself informed the AICC leadership and demanded Rahul's resignation as per the instructions of the high command.

Meanwhile, Rahul's explanation is that he is resigning so that the workers do not have to bear the additional burden of justifying him at a time when the opposition is intensifying its agitation against the CPM in the state. Let's put aside the political issues in the Congress after Rahul's resignation. How the ruling party will use the opportunity is also a political matter. While the onus of proving guilt in any other case, including corruption, is on the accused, the onus of proving innocence in sexual allegations is on the accused man! That is, Rahul Mamkootathil has the responsibility to prove to the legal system and the public that he did not engage in any conduct or actions that should not be expected of a public servant, as is being alleged now. It is a good thing that he has taken on that responsibility. What is needed to be known now is the findings of the committee appointed by the party to investigate the allegations.

There are certain morals and decency that society expects from public servants. Representatives are obligated to carry them out with 100 percent sincerity. People have not forgotten that the ruling party's own representative, who is now demanding the resignation of Rahul Mamkootathil from the post of MLA, has also faced similar allegations. How can the issue of morality in resigning from the post of a representative apply to only one person? Moreover, it is not right to insist that a person who has been elected to a position based on the will of the majority in a political election should vacate it even before any allegations against him are proven in the courts. This is a matter involving one's public image, personal sense of values, morality, and decency. The lessons of a sense of values must begin with oneself.