A militant protest demonstration was held outside Parliament by representatives of AIDWA, DYFI, and SFI today – Feb 21st 2013- demanding immediate resignation of P J Kurien from the post of Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, pending further investigation into the Suryanelli rape case. The protestors condemned the UPA for refusing to take necessary action Shri. Kurien, especially when the legislation to address sexual assault on women (to replace the ordinance promulgated by the President) was slated to come up for discussion in the session of Parliament beginning today.
Leaders of the various organizations- Abhay Mukherjee and M.B Rajesh ( Lok Sabha MP, ) from DYFI, Sivadasan from SFI, Sudha Sundararaman and T.N. Seema ( MP, Rajya Sabha )from AIDWA, expressed their outrage that the dignity of Parliament was being eroded by permitting Shri Kurien to continue in his constitutional post. They also questioned the claims made by Shri Kurien that he had been exonerated in the case. They pointed out that although Sri. Kurien’s name was excluded by the investigating officers in the original case in the special court, he was charge sheeted by a session’s court based on the private complaint of the victim. While the trial should have proceeded in the session court as per law, it was prevented by the discharge petition granted by the High Court. With the apex court quashing the high court verdict of 2005, the High Court’s decision to discharge Sri.Kurien in a related case stood on questionable ground and would have to be heard again.
Moreover, all witnesses who reinforced Sri.Kurien's alibi except one have gone back on their statements to the police. Even the main accused Dharmarajan has told a TV channel reporter that he took Kurien in his car to the guest house where the girl said the rape occurred. The new revelations having knocked the bottom out of Kurien's alibi, it is only fair in the interest of justice that a reinvestigation should take place in the case against Sri.Kurien. It is clear that the Government of Kerala is refusing to order further investigation, and is thereby impeding the course of justice.
The protestors also condemned the display of heavyhandedness by the police, who manhandled even the MPs while arresting them, due to which some of them received injuries.
The organizations have resolved to continue their struggle, until their demand for stepping down of Shri Kurien is met.
