Kerala Congress expels Simi Rose Bell John amid controversy over her harassment allegations

Rose Bell John accused the Congress party of expelling her for advocating women’s issues

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has expelled Simi Rose Bell John from the party, following her controversial remarks made during a recent TV interview.  She had stated that patronage and sponsorships were prerequisites for women to rise in KPCC’s ranks.

According to the media reports, the KPCC confirmed the expulsion, stating that John's comments were deemed derogatory and aimed at undermining and defaming Congress women leaders and workers. The statement emphasized that John's actions constituted a serious breach of party discipline and suggested that her remarks were intended to mentally harass Congress members and collude with political rivals.

KPCC General Secretary M Liju detailed that the expulsion followed a collective request for action against John from women leaders within the KPCC Political Affairs Committee, KPCC office bearers, and the Mahila Congress State President, the report stated, adding this unified demand prompted the KPCC's decision to expel John from the party’s primary membership.

Kerala Congress President K Sudhakaran on September 1 said that the KPCC would investigate a complaint filed by the Mahila Congress against Simi Rose Bell John. The complaint alleges that John made derogatory comments about Congress women leaders. "Mahila Congress has filed a complaint against Simi Rose Bell John's allegations. Simi made bad remarks against the leaders. Her allegations are baseless. KPCC will investigate the complaint filed by Mahila Congress,” Sudhakaran stated, as reported by news agency.

In reaction to her expulsion, Simi Rose Bell John criticized the Congress party’s decision. The news agency quoted John as accusing the party of expelling her for advocating women’s issues and alleging that similar expulsions had been carried out against other prominent party members without evidence. John argued that her expulsion was part of a broader effort to suppress dissent within the party and expressed concerns for her safety.