"When I Get Angry...": Congress MLA Accused Of Harassment To Pregnant Woman

Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who faces several allegations of sexual misconduct, allegedly forced a woman to undergo an abortion and threatened to kill her in a "few seconds" when she resisted.

An audio clip of a purported conversation between the legislator from Kerala's Palakkad and the unidentified woman also revealed that the former was worried that the pregnancy would "destroy" his life and warned of "consequences if he got angry". 

NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the four-minute-nine-seconds audio clip that surfaced on Saturday and has since gone viral.

The development came days after Mamkootathil stepped down as the Youth Congress President amid the controversy that first broke out after Malayalam actor Rini George accused a youth leader of a prominent political party of misconduct. Ms George did not name anyone but the opposition BJP alleged Mamkootathil's role even as the Congress leader denied the charges. Subsequently, writer Honey Bhaskaran and trans woman activist Avanthika accused him of inappropriate behaviour. The BJP has demanded Mamkootathil's resignation from the state assembly. 

The viral audio clip begins with the woman asking Mamkootathil "what do you mean you want to get rid of me without my permission?" 

To this, Mamkootathil says: "It's not because of permission. It's because you don't think about it. You don't know the consequences."

The woman, however, says "I told you I will face the consequences alone." 

"You can't face it alone. I don't know the consequences when I get angry," the Congress leader says. 

At one point, Mamkootathil tells the woman 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." 

He also says: "I have spoken to you very calmly. Till this moment, I haven't called you a bad word. Don't think that you were with me. You are a woman. Is this your ideal in life? I will never do anything wrong to you." 

The Congress leader also asks the woman what she will do if she delivers a baby. "I will not leave it," he says.

In response, the woman says: "I won't bring it (to you). I am sure that you will kill it." 

She also says that she is capable of taking care of her child. "I can raise that child well. I don't need your help." 

Mamkootathil then says: "What are you saying? You are making me crazy." 

There was no immediate reaction from Mamkootathil or the Congress party on the purported audio clip at the time of filing this report. 

Earlier this week, actor George made the allegations against the Congress legislator  in an online interview that went viral. 

"I came in contact with the politician through social media. His inappropriate behaviour began three years ago, when I first received objectionable messages from him," Ms George claimed.

She alleged that the leader even offered to book a room at a five-star hotel and asked her to visit.

Besides, she accused senior leaders of the concerned party of ignoring her complaints and said the young leader continued to receive prominent positions within the party despite her warnings. She said when she warned the leader she would approach senior party officials, he reportedly dismissed her, saying, "You can go and tell anyone... who cares?" 

After this, more allegations surfaced. Avanthika alleged Mamkootathil made offensive remarks at her, expressing interest in what he termed "rape sex" and suggesting meetings to fulfil his fantasies. She told NDTV that the MLA 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, were also circulated on social media.

The MLA has, however, 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. 

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. 

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. 

Despite mounting pressure, the Palakkad MLA remains defiant. "Resignation is not even in my thoughts," he said. 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."