Suryanelli gangrape: Decision on P J Kurien before session, says Congress

Congress spokesman P C Chacko on Sunday said the party will formulate its stand on the demand for the removal of P J Kurien as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, after his name figured in the Suryanelli gangrape case, before the Budget session of Parliament begins even as Defence Minister A K Antony refused to be drawn into the issue, "saying let the law takes its course".

"We will be taking decision on all issues, including this, before Parliament session begins (on February 21). The high command will not be closing its eyes to any issue coming before the party," Chacko told reporters in Thrissur.

"We are alert to every issue agitating the society and our spokesman has already said the high command will discuss and take an appropriate decision on this matter," he said responding to a question on the Kurein issue.

Speaking to the media in Kozhikode, Antony said, "The state government can decide on the complaint from the victim after the recent Supreme Court verdict. The case would still open for litigation if the government decision was not acceptable."

He said "of the 17 years since the case has been reported, the CPM-led government had been in power for 10 years. Investigations held by the Congress and the CPM governments had found no role of Kurien in the scandal. Besides, Kurien had been exonerated by various courts which heard the case. Let the state government look into the matter. I do not want to join the issue".

Kurien said at Nedumbassery near Kochi that he had nothing more to add than what he had already said. Right from the start, he has maintained that he is innocent and the charge against him has been rejected by the Supreme Court.

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