Kurien won't step down, may stay away from debate on anti-rape ordinance

Despite the vociferous demands of the Left parties, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien is unlikely to step down from his post and at most will stay away from the debate on women’s safety bill when it comes up for debate in the Rajya Sabha. After having his name dragged in the Suryanelli gangrape case, Kurien may recuse himself from the Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker chair when the discussion on the amendments to the Criminal Lam (Amendment) ordinance comes up for discussion in Parliament, reported CNN-IBN. Kurien has been under a cloud since the Supreme Court overturned the verdict of the Kerala High Court acquitting all the accused in the horrific Suryanelli gangrape case, in which a minor was raped by over 40 men in a little over a month. [caption id=“attachment_635536” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Kurien to stay. PTI[/caption] Accused by the victim and one of those convicted in the case by the trial court, Kurien has refused to step down saying that he had been exonerated by the Supreme Court in the case and there was no evidence linking him to the case. Prior to the Budget Session of Parliament, Kurien had met with party chief Sonia Gandhi and had even written to MPs, saying three police inquiries and two judicial processes have cleared him in the 17-year-old Suryanelli rape case. The Congress party has chosen to rally behind Kurien and the BJP has also said that it will not raise the issue of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman stepping down. The Samajwadi Party, BSP and TDP have already come out in support of him and would prefer to debate other issues that are of more concern to them.