After the women cadre of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a Congress party’s ally in Kerala refused to withdraw their sexual harassment complaint filed with the Kerala Women’s Commission against some of the male MSF leaders, the all-male leadership on Wednesday, September 8, disbanded the state committee of Haritha- the women’s wing of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), over ‘gross indiscipline.
The women members had accused male MSF leaders, who allegedly used derogatory remarks against them but the Muslim League state general secretary PMA Salam announced that a decision was reached during the party’s high power committee meeting in Malappuram, which concluded that the Haritha leaders’ “gross indiscipline” had prompted the party leadership to dissolve Haritha’s current committee.
However, the women members of Haritha have decided not to take this lying down and have threatened to move the court after the parent organisation Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), dissolved the state committee for refusing to take back its complaint against their male counterparts.
The complaint was filed by all the ten members of the state committee of Haritha-MSF who had filed a complaint with the State Women’s Commission against a couple of their male counterparts for allegedly using derogatory remarks and abusive language during a Haritha-MSF state committee meeting held in Kozhikode on June 22.
According to the Haritha leaders, MSF leaders referred to them as “infertile feminists” and PK Navas allegedly responded by saying that “even prostitutes” have opinions, and so the Haritha wing leaders may express their views.
After that Haritha had approached the commission but it did not receive any support from the League leadership. But later when the Muslim League did intervene, MSF state president PK Navas, who had allegedly said even prostitutes have opinion expressed remorse but maintained he did not say anything with the wrong intention.
Afterwards, the League ordered the Haritha to withdraw its complaint to the women’s commission or suffer the consequences.
MSF National Vice President Fathima Tahliya in a news conference in August had said that “the humiliation and emotional pain caused by the disparaging remarks prompted Haritha’s 10 state committee leaders to take action against MSF’s male office-bearers.”
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