Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan accuses Congress leaders of shielding Rahul Mankoottathil amid allegations of sexual misconduct

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday (December 5, 2025) slammed the Congress leadership for what he termed as “the act of some leaders protecting” Rahul Mankoottathil, the Congress legislator who is on the run following allegations of serial sexual misconduct.

“Those Congress leaders who are shielding the legislator should stop doing so, as he has been hiding and avoiding arrest with their support,” he said.

The Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the police had been acting effectively in the case and trying to locate the legislator, who went on hiding after the allegations surfaced.

The (Congress) party leaders protected and projected him by describing the discredited legislator as an investment for the future, even while being aware of the allegations against him. He should have been kept out of public life the moment the allegations of sexual misconduct came to the notice of the party leadership, said Mr. Vijayan, while attending a press conference at the Ernakulam Press Club.

The information that has been revealed in relation to the allegations against Mr. Mankoottathil was “shocking and beyond comprehension.” The information that had surfaced indicated that he is a sexual pervert. Those who had been guarding him should stop doing it. The decision of the Congress to expel him from the organisation cannot be termed as an exemplary act, as a few Congress legislators, who were jailed in similar cases, continued to be the party legislators, he said.

“The acts of the legislator brought humiliation to the Congress, which has a proud political legacy. The behaviour of the Congress MLA doesn’t augur well with the values of public life,” he said.

Mr. Vijayan also criticised the recent incident in which Congress workers allegedly heckled journalists who had asked questions to senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala in Palakkad about Mr. Mankoottathil. “The cyberattack against those who criticised Mr. Mankoottathil indicated that the interested groups are out to protect him and silence those who criticised him, which is an unacceptable practice,” he said.