India pacer Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the team's chief orchestrator with the ball on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens on Friday. After removing opening batters Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton, Bumrah thought he had trapped South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma in front of the stumps. However, the on-field umpire refused to rule the decision in the fielding side's favour. This prompted a discussion between Bumrah, the wicket-keeper and a few other players. The chat, however, went viral for the wrong reason. During the chatter between Bumrah and Pant, one of the two seemed to have referred to Bavuma as a 'bauna' (short or dwarf). The video drew plenty of attention on social media since being shared. The ball struck Bavuma on the pads, prompting a loud appeal, but the umpire turned it down. Bumrah thought the matter was close, hence, he contemplated making use of a referral and consulted the same with Pant. Bumrah seemed to be in favour of usi...
Having stepped down as the Kerala Youth Congress president following allegations of misconduct against women, Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil is now facing growing calls for resigning from the state Assembly as well. The controversy, which began with a social media post, has now snowballed into a full-blown political crisis with leaked audio clips, WhatsApp chats and fresh testimony adding to Mamkootathil's troubles.
The latest trigger was an audio clip, aired on Thursday by a television channel, in which a male voice, purportedly Mamkootathil's, is heard pressuring a woman to undergo an abortion. The woman, resisting the demand, asserts that she loves her unborn child and can raise it independently, without seeking his support.
The male voice counters that the pregnancy would "destroy" his life and is even heard saying, "To kill you, what do you think, I just need a few seconds." The clip has caused widespread outrage, with women's groups, opposition parties, and even sections of the Congress party demanding accountability.
Early Allegations
The latest controversy began when actor and former journalist Rini Ann George alleged that a young politician in Kerala had sent her inappropriate messages and invited her to a hotel room three years ago. While she did not name Mamkootathil, her suggestion that the politician's attitude was "who cares" was seen as a pointed reference to him, especially since the MLA had used the same phrase when dismissing previous charges.
After this, more allegations surfaced. Avantika, a transgender woman, alleged that Mamkootathil had made offensive remarks to her, expressing interest in what he termed "rape sex" and suggesting meetings in Bangalore or Hyderabad to fulfil his fantasies. She told NDTV that the MLA had shared his rape fantasies with her.
Screenshots of WhatsApp chats purportedly sent by Mamkootathil to another woman, asking if he could visit her when she was alone at home, also began circulating on social media.
The MLA, however, has consistently denied wrongdoing. On August 21, he resigned from all organisational posts in the Congress, including his position as state Youth Congress president, but insisted that the decision was voluntary and not forced by party leadership.
"No one has filed a complaint against me. Anyone can cook up a story. I resigned so that my colleagues don't have to spend time defending me," he told reporters, adding that he would continue as MLA.
Political Fallout
The allegations against Mamkootathil have given fresh ammunition to rival parties ahead of Assembly elections in Kerala next year. The BJP and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M), have staged protest marches in Palakkad, accusing the Congress of shielding him.
BJP leaders said the allegations were too grave to be ignored and accused the Congress of "double standards," arguing that the party has previously demanded action against others based on public allegations, even in the absence of formal complaints.
The CPI(M) has also mounted pressure, with DYFI workers taking to the streets demanding that Rahul step down. The DYFI argues that an elected representative facing such serious accusations cannot continue in office until an investigation clears him.
Voices against Mamkootathil are beginning to be raised within the Congress as well. Several senior leaders and Youth Congress workers are learnt to have conveyed to the leadership that Mamkootathil's continuation as MLA damages the party's credibility, especially in the run-up to local body and Assembly polls.
Critics within the Congress have also pointed to the contradiction in the party's defence. They note that while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has publicly raised allegations against the Election Commission without filing a formal complaint, the party is now dismissing allegations against Mamkootathil by insisting that no case has been registered.
Defiance
Despite mounting pressure, the Palakkad MLA remains defiant. Speaking from his residence in Adoor in Pathanamthitta district, he said: "Resignation is not even in my thoughts." Reiterating that none of the women who levelled allegations have filed legal complaints, he added, "If the CPI(M) wants, they can fabricate one. Let them complain, I can prove my innocence in court."
He argued that stepping down as Youth Congress president was merely a tactical move to allow party workers to focus on campaigning without being distracted by the controversy and insisted that relinquishing his MLA seat is unnecessary since no official charges have been brought against him.
Growing Pressure
However, pressure on him is unlikely to abate. Women's rights activists have called the audio clips "deeply disturbing" and demanded that the state leadership act decisively rather than wait for legal proceedings to begin. Opposition leaders have also stressed that public trust in elected representatives is paramount, and even unproven allegations of this nature severely damage credibility.
Mamkootathil had won the Palakkad Assembly by-election in November 2024 after Shafi Parambil vacated it upon winning the Vadakara Lok Sabha contest. He secured victory with a record margin of 18,724 votes, defeating the BJP's C Krishnakumar and CPI(M)-backed P Sarin. That commanding win is now overshadowed by controversy, with Mamkootathil's political future hanging in the balance.
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