The Women India Movement (WIM) here on Wednesday criticised State Women’s Commission Chairperson M.C. Josephine for her “overzealousness” in intervening and making comments about the Rahman-Sajita couple who lived secretly together in a tiny room for the past 11 years at Ayiloor near Nenmara.
Ms. Josephine had met Rahman and Sajita on Tuesday and expressed dismay and disbelief at their version of the story that they had lived 11 years without attracting anyone’s notice. She also had said that confinement or captivity in any form could not be accepted even if Sajita had been well fed and well taken care of.
WIM State president K.K. Raihanath said that the interest displayed by Ms. Josephine in the secret life of Rahman and Sajita was with mala fide intentions even if there was no complaint from the couple. The police too had not registered any case.
“Ms. Josephine had never bothered to visit the home of Hadiya, who had been placed in confinement for months by her family with the support of the RSS. When large sections of people cried out for the release of Hadiya, the Women’s Commission never bothered. Now, she is showing undue haste and enthusiasm in a case where nobody has any complaint. It is strange,” said Ms. Raihanath.
“Ms. Josephine was tight-lipped when protests raged across the country over the injustice meted out to the two minor sisters of Walayar, who had been found hanging in mysterious circumstances. She had notoriously kept silent in the Palathayi case in which a minor girl was raped by a teacher.”
Ms. Raihanath accused Ms. Josephine of harbouring communal and political biases in ensuring justice for women.
