DYFI Slams Congress for Shielding KSU Kannur District President Accused of Sexual Assault and Fraud

Kannur: DYFI has condemned the Congress party's stance of shielding KSU Kannur District President M C Athul, who stands accused of sexually assaulting a fellow party worker under the false promise of marriage and defrauding her of ₹1.6 lakh. The DYFI Kannur District Secretariat, in a strongly-worded statement, called Congress's refusal to remove Athul from his post shameful and described it as a disgrace to Kerala's political culture.

The DYFI alleged that Congress leadership had moved to protect the accused from the very moment the complaint was raised, and charged that the party had become a refuge for criminals where even women within its own ranks cannot work safely. The organisation demanded that strong legal action be taken against Athul without delay, and called for an investigation into the leaders who facilitated his protection.

The statement drew a direct parallel with the case of Rahul Mamkoottathil, a Congress leader who faced similar allegations and was similarly shielded by the party leadership — arguing that the pattern of protecting accused leaders was being repeated in Kannur. The DYFI demanded that the Congress leadership answer to the women of Kerala for its conduct, and declared that the struggle for justice for the victim would continue until it was secured.