The Hindu : Front Page : Probe sought into allegation against Joseph

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 23, 2006

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Probe sought into allegation against Joseph

Special Correspondent

Public Works Minister facing charge of misbehaviour towards woman in aircraft

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Government is facing a strong demand to order an inquiry into the allegation that Public Works Minister P.J. Joseph misbehaved with a woman co-passenger while flying from Chennai to Kochi on August 3.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and the Left Democratic Front leadership are yet to apply their collective mind to the issue that is developing into a political embarrassment for the LDF, but the general thinking is that there must be an inquiry by a senior police officer before any precipitate action is taken in the matter. Mr. Joseph himself has sought an inquiry by a senior woman police officer into the charge. He did so during a meeting with the Chief Minister at the latter's official residence here on Tuesday.

The allegation against Mr. Joseph is that he had misbehaved with the co-passenger as the aircraft took off. The woman allegedly raised an alarm, and was reported to have complained first to the air hostess and then to the pilot. The woman later told the media that she had not preferred any written complaint against the Minister, but her husband insisted that a complaint had been submitted to the appropriate authorities.

Stoutly denying the allegation against him, Mr. Joseph told journalist after his meeting with the Chief Minister that nobody could have behaved the way he had been accused of when an aircraft takes off. He attributed the allegation to political vendetta by his detractors in the Congress, a certain MLA who had been expelled from the Kerala Congress (J) and persons "who had tried to malign" him in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Maitri Housing Scheme by the 1996-2001 LDF Government.

The Kerala Congress (J) State secretariat, which met here on Tuesday evening, took the same stand. It decided that there was no need for Mr. Joseph to step down as Minister while an inquiry into the charge against him was on. The secretariat felt that the charges were part of a conspiracy to malign Mr. Joseph and the LDF Government and said the allegations against the Minister were unconvincing and improbable. These had been made by vested interests once it had become clear that Mr. Joseph could not be implicated in the Maitri Housing Scheme, the party leadership said.

Mr. Joseph's future will depend on the stand the CPI(M) leadership takes. The State secretariat is likely to take up the issue quickly and decide the course of action. Mr. Joseph has been in touch with LDF leaders. There have been discussions among LDF leaders and the general thinking is that the matter should be probed to clear the air.

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