Kerala nun rape case: Assembly reprimands Poonjar MLA PC George

Kerala Assembly on Friday reprimanded Poonjar MLA PC George for his remarks against the Kerala nun rape survivor who was allegedly raped by Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

Speaker said in the Assembly that the action was taken on the basis of a report by the privilege and ethics committee.

Kerala Women's Commission chairperson M C Josephine had submitted a complaint to Assembly Speaker against P C George for his alleged comment against the nun. The complaint stated that the MLA had made a derogatory comment against a rape victim.

Speaker then sent it to the ethics committee. The committee examined the complaint and submitted its report recommending action against P C George. On the basis of the report, Speaker reprimanded P C George.

P C George, while accepting the Assembly's reprimand said that he had not commented against a nun.

"The alleged nun was suspended from the church. A nun who has been suspended from the church is not a nun," George said.

In response, the Speaker said, "Whether she is a nun or not, the committee reported that such remarks against a woman are inappropriate."

In June 2018, the nun, who is a member of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation based in Punjab, had complained to the police in Kottayam that Jalandhar Bishop had raped her several times between 2014 and 2016.

After several rounds of questioning, the special investigation team (SIT) of Kerala Police arrested him in September 2018. The SIT had filed the charge sheet against Mulakkal in 2019.

( With inputs from ANI )