K.K. Rema is a name that has irked the CPI(M) for the past 10 years. The Vadakara MLA, who belongs to the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India, is the widow of T.P Chandrashekharan, a communist leader who was hacked to death by a criminal gang at Onchiyam on May 4, 2012. In 2014, the Special Additional Sessions Court (Marad cases) at Eranhipalam convicted 12 accused, including three leaders of the CPI(M) in the case. Chandrashekharan was the founder of the RMPI, a breakaway group from the CPI(M), formed in 2008. In 2021, Rema defeated Manayath Chandran of LDF by 7,000 votes to become the MLA of Vadakara. She is a strong critic of CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. And, recently, while taking part in a debate in the Assembly, former minister and CPI(M) MLA M.M. Mani mocked her, calling her a “Mahathi (a great person)” and saying it was her fate that she became a widow. Mani made this comment after being provoked by Rema’s criticism of the home department—which is handled by CM Vijayan. The misogynistic and insensitive comment was not withdrawn by Mani for many days, until Assembly Speaker M.B. Rajesh made a historic ruling on July 20. “The insults and misogynistic celebrations at the expense of people's colour, physical characteristics, limitations, occupation, family background, caste, religion, gender identity and living conditions are considered not fit for a modern society. They all should be discarded for societal growth and the development of democratic thoughts," said the speaker. Rema welcomed the ruling.
On July 21, however, she received a threatening letter undersigned with the name “Payyannur Sakhakkal”. “Have you heard about the comrades of Onchiyam? Maybe you should ask your dad,” it says. The letter also makes the threat that "certain things will be done" against her if she does not stop criticising Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Talking to THE WEEK, Rema says that the letter might have been sent by some spirited youth. “But it is not them who are to be blamed. They are only repeating or reflecting the kind of words and threats used by the top leaders [of CPI(M)]”.
Excerpts from the interview:
Speaker M.B. Rajesh made a historic ruling on July 20 about the misogynistic culture ingrained in Kerala politics. What are the things required for this culture to change?
The social conditions in which a person grows up are reflected in the culture. It is social conditioning that is making people like that. The misogynistic attitudes are there in Kerala politics for a long time. For that to change, there should be a conscious effort from the political leadership. There should be self-assessment and self-correction.
A political leader or the political leadership has to keep certain values and decency. It is very important to have those. It is when we are losing certain values that we use such [misogynistic] words or expressions. The threatening letter that I received must have been sent by some youth or new-gen kids. They would have done that as part of their spirit against those who are speaking against the party to which they are affiliated to now. They think that anything can be said [against those who are not with them]. But it is not them who are to be blamed because such an idea is injected into their mind by the political leadership. The youth are only repeating or reflecting the kind of words and threats used by these leaders.
So, if this toxic culture has to change, those who are in the leadership should be decent and pure. The ruling by Speaker M.B. Rajesh [on July 20] rightly talked about the social conditioning and the kind of values to be followed by people. It was also a statement about “political correctness”. The issue we are facing is that we do not have a “politically correct” atmosphere. When M.M. Mani used [the insulting] words, many were, in fact, trying to justify it by saying it is just colloquial language. But if a person makes a mistake—even if it was unintentional—the next step should not be to justify it but to correct it. And, the people should immediately demand this correction, even if the person who made the mistake belongs to his/her party. This demand for correction is not there, and that is an issue. Many are facing a dilemma in responding to the misogynistic comments made by their own leaders. Many women leaders fear that if they disown or criticize their own party or leaders, they will get ousted. So, they are avoiding making any comments. Then how would the correction process happen? [CPI leader] Annie Raja was the only one who dared to speak [from the LDF against Mani’s controversial statement]. It was, in fact, a brave stance. It is such daring corrective statements that are necessary now.
The CPI(M) presents itself as a political party that does not shy away from correcting its mistakes. But on the other hand, we see CPI(M) cyber cadres silence the corrective voices even from their own fold by mocking them as “Uthamans [The perfect ones]”. You were once part of that party. And, now you are considered an enemy. Do you think any correction in the culture is possible in the ruling party?
CPI(M) is facing moral degradation. There are no values now. Those who point it out are getting slapped with mocking names and getting alienated. In fact, they are treating such people with hate and enmity. Also, if it is a woman who is voicing their problems, then the reaction is more severe. People like me are at the receiving end of these reactions. The reaction I got in the Assembly is also coming from this point of view. A woman, a widow is criticizing them! there is thinking like that in their attitude and reactions. ‘Who is she to criticize us,’ is the vibe in their statements. The speaker’s ruling had the word aanathaghoshangal (misogynistic celebrations). It is a word that dismantles all these sexist attitudes. The ruling criticizing misogyny, is giving us a great boost to fight against misogyny. But issues remain. The change is not easy. The bigger issue is that even those who we would expect to support [a fight against misogynistic attitudes] are not voicing their opinion aloud. The social conditioning would have formed our personality traits. But we should make a conscious effort to change from that social conditioning. The change should happen in the party, party committees and at the individual level. It is pity that the party is not creating such a condition that would lead to a good change. And, nobody is allowed to criticize that also.
In the presidential election, 139 MLAs from Kerala voted for Yashwant Sinha. But one MLA voted for the NDA-backed candidate. The ruling front, LDF, and the opposition front, UDF, are still confused about who did that vote. Your name was also discussed, among many others, on social media as the one who cross-voted.
These are things certain people say because of their political antagonism. I have a clear political stance on these issues. I voted for Sinha only. Those who are targeting me wanted to create a narrative that it was me [who cross-voted]. Such rumours are the continuation of other attacks they make on me.
