"Cong not running away, taken firm stand": KC Venugopal on rape, coerced abortion charges against MLA Mamkootathil

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 30 (ANI): After Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was booked under charges of alleged rape and coerced abortion, party MP KC Venugopal on Sunday clarified that the party has collectively taken a firm stand against him.
Speaking to reporters, Venugopal stated that Congress has already made a "clear stand" and is not running away from the issue.
He said, "The party has already taken a clear stand on this matter. The stand of the Congress Party has already been stated by the Party President, by the Leader of the Opposition, and by all responsible leaders, multiple times."
"We are not distancing ourselves from this issue. We are not hiding or running away. All of us have responded. The party has taken every necessary step. More than any other party, we have taken a firm position. Every decision the Congress has taken in this matter was taken collectively, with all leaders standing together. There is no difference in that decision," the Congress MP added.
The Congress, in August, suspended Mamkootathil after the allegations surfaced.
Mamkootathil has been booked on charges of alleged rape, criminal intimidation, and coerced abortion, with the FIR listing multiple non-bailable sections. Kerala Police have also arraigned his friend Joby Joseph as the second accused in the case.
According to the FIR, the survivor was allegedly sexually assaulted by Rahul on March 4 this year at her flat in Thrikkannapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, and later recorded explicit videos of the survivor on his mobile phone without her consent, after threatening her. The second accused, a close friend of Rahul, gave her abortion pills while driving her in a car.
Meanwhile, ahead of the local body elections in Kerala, Congress MP KC Venugopal said, "It was a very good experience. We interacted with the people. I think in Kerala, UDF (United Democratic Front) will get a big victory in this local body election."
Kerala Local Body polls will be held in two phases on December 9 and 11. Counting will be held on December 13. The model code of conduct has come into force across the state. Elections are to be held in 1199 of the total 1200 local bodies in Kerala. (ANI)