 "Kerala Youth Congress chief resigns after Malayalam actor's harassment allegations. Who is Rahul Mamkootathil?")
Rahul Mamkootathil, the Palakkad MLA and Kerala Youth Congress chief, resigned from his party post following serious harassment allegations.
Rahul BR, better known as Rahul Mamkootathil, is one of the Congress party’s young faces in Kerala . A history and English literature graduate who studied at Delhi’s St Stephen’s College, he rose through the ranks of student politics before becoming a prominent state leader.
But in recent weeks, the 35-year-old has been at the centre of controversy after facing allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour from Malayalam actor and former journalist Rini Ann George, followed by similar claims from writer Honey Bhaskaran.
What exactly happened? How has the leader defended himself? And what has been the Congress party’s response? Here’s what we know so far.
Allegations against Rahul Mamkootathil
Rini Ann George
Malayalam actor and former journalist Rini Ann George spoke out about her ordeal in an online interview with Manorama. Without directly naming him at first, she alleged that a youth leader from a major political party had repeatedly sent her offensive messages and even invited her to a hotel.
“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,” George said.
According to her, despite knowing about his behaviour, senior party members continued to support him, allowing him to climb higher in the organisation. She recalled warning him that she might report him to senior leaders, but he allegedly brushed her off, saying, “You can go and tell anyone… who cares?”
“The image I had in my mind about them has been shattered. Even after my complaint, he was given several prominent positions within the party,” George told On Manorama.
Explaining why she has not filed a formal complaint, she said it was out of concern for her safety and a lack of faith in the system. “I did not wish to embarrass the political party involved,” she said, adding that her decision to speak up was to support other women who had allegedly faced similar harassment.
“I have not suffered any assault; I only received these messages. But through my friends, I learned that several other women faced harassment, and I am speaking up for them,” she added.
Honey Bhaskaran
Soon after George’s revelations, writer Honey Bhaskaran came forward with her own experience.
In a Facebook post, she wrote that the Youth Congress state president had first reached out to her on Instagram on June 9, while she was travelling in Sri Lanka. He reacted to one of her photos with a heart emoji and struck up a conversation, asking about her trip and even joking about the Nilambur elections.
At first, Bhaskaran said, she replied casually. But when she noticed a flirtatious tone creeping into his messages, she stopped responding and allowed the conversation to fade out.
Bhaskaran alleged that Rahul later boasted about their brief chat during a drinking session, misrepresenting it as though she had approached him.
“I learned the vulgar truth behind why you messaged me,” she wrote in her post.
“I know many of his victims, and more will come forward with complaints,” she told Manorama. “He tells every woman that she is the only one he loves, while saying the same to others."
“People like you are unfit to even be near women in public spaces, let alone continue in politics. Such men make politics itself inhuman,” she wrote.
What has Rahul Mamkootathil said?
After the allegations surfaced, Rahul Mamkootathil addressed the media at his residence in Adoor on Wednesday, where he announced his resignation from the post of Kerala Youth Congress chief.
He stressed that his decision was not an admission of guilt but a step to protect the party from unnecessary distractions.
“As far as Youth Congress workers and party workers are concerned, they have a lot of work to do before the next assembly and panchayat elections. They cannot waste time justifying me. I respect their time. We will fight strongly against the CPI(M) government and face the elections,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Mamkootathil clarified that no one in the party had asked him to resign and described it as a move taken out of personal responsibility. He also emphasised that it was up to him to prove his innocence.
“I will face these allegations individually and will face them also individually,” he added.
When asked about the voice clip that surfaced on social media in which serious allegations were made against him, he said that it was not difficult to make such fake clips.
On actor Rini Ann George, who made the initial claims, he maintained that she was his “friend” and insisted that there was no formal complaint against him, reported News18.
“Is there any legal complaint against me? The lady, who made the statement, has not named me. She is a friend of mine. Is there any complaint against me in any of the police stations in the state?…” he asked, hinting he was ready to take the legal route if required.
Congress to investigate allegations
Responding to the controversy, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said the party had only just received a complaint and promised that it would be handled without bias.
“The party will look into the allegations. We will check the gravity of the allegations. If it is very serious, we will take necessary action. There is a procedure; he will get an opportunity to present his side. Then only will we make a decision,” he explained.
Satheesan stressed that there would be no delay in the process. “We will make a decision immediately. There are no complaints before the party so far. But if someone is making any allegation, we will look into it. We will take it very seriously, we will take proper action, there will be no mercy,” he added.
With input from agencies
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