Nalini moves panel, Nadar on his way out

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 11. The Transport Minister, Dr. A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar, seems to be on his way out of the LDF Cabinet with the political leadership coming under pressure from various quarters for his ouster.

The Chief Minister, Mr. E. K. Nayanar, has already got in touch with the State Janata Dal president, Mr. M. P. Veerendra Kumar, and told him about the need for an urgent decision on the former Transport Secretary, Ms. Nalini Netto's complaint that the Minister had made sexual advances towards her.

Mr. Nayanar would meet Mr. Veerendra Kumar at Kozhikode on Monday. He has also decided to convene a meeting of Front leaders here on February 16. Of course, Mr. Nadar has the option of putting in his papers without waiting for the party or the Chief Minister to tell him to do so.

Women Commission moved: Ms. Netto today moved the Kerala Women's Commission for action against the Minister. After the consideration of the complaint, the Commission requested the Chief Minister to take action against Mr. Nadar as laid down by the Supreme Court in its 1997 judgment in the Visakha versus State of Rajastan Case. The Commission reminded Mr. Nayanar that ``it is the Government's responsibility to create conditions conducive for women to work with honour''.

The development has come as a shock for the ruling Front and everybody is keen that the issue should be resolved without further damage to the LDF's image. Mr. Nayanar is quite annoyed about the development and did not hide his displeasure towards Mr. Nadar at the two Cabinet meetings where the Transport Minister's demand for Ms. Netto's removal as Transport Secretary figured. He is, however, hamstrung by the fact that in a coalition any action should be preceded by discussions at the political level.

The Chief Minister had assured a delegation of IAS officers which called on him on Thursday that he hoped to take a decision in the matter once the Janata Dal leadership got back to him on the subject and Mr. Nadar himself formally replied to his query. Mr. Nadar has repeatedly pleaded innocence, but has also stated that he would step down if the party asked him to do so. The Janata Dal State executive has been convened at Kozhikode on Monday. There is already speculation as to who would step in if Mr. Nadar puts in his papers. The name being mentioned is that of the widely respected Mr. C. K. Nanu, who represents the Vadakara Assembly constituency.

The Chief Minister and the CPI(M) leadership are concerned about the political fallout of the scandal. The Finance Minister, Mr. T. Sivadasa Menon, in whose department Ms. Netto has been accommodated, and the Law Minister, Mr. E. Chandrasekharan Nair, are also upset over attempts by certain sections to depict the incident as a ``caste Hindu conspiracy''.

This is for the first time that an allegation of sexual misconduct is being made against a Minister in Kerala. Under the 1997 decision of the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister would have to initiate legal measures against the Minister on the basis of the letter handed over to him by the victim. The letter has been reproduced in full by most newspapers causing a major dent in the LDF's image.

The LDF convener, Mr. V. S. Achuthanandan, is in the Gulf and is expected back only on February 19. The LDF State committee meeting, slated for earlier this week, had been postponed to February 21 in view of Mr. Achuthanandan's absence. The Chief Minister might find it difficult to keep a decision on the issue hanging for that long. The Assembly is also scheduled to begin its session on February 18 and, although the Opposition UDF has opted to stay clear of the controversy for the time being, there could be pressure on it to take up the issue.

Meanwhile, the State general secretary of the Janata Dal (Secular), Mr. K. Harindranath, described the Minister's act as a challenge to Indian womanhood at a time when the freedom of women was at the dangerous cross-roads in the country. He felt that the Minister should have resigned voluntarily and faced a probe the moment such an allegation was levelled against him. There was no other alternative, he added. He asked the Chief Minister to sack him if he did not quit on his own.

The Kerala Stree Vedi asked the Government to consider the Minister as a sexual offender and initiate legal action against him at the earliest. It said such crimes assumed more seriousness when they were committed by persons in high places. It reminded the Chief Minister that he had a special responsibility to take concerted action because of it. It warned of a strong agitation if the Government refrained from taking action on technical or political grounds.

Ms. Thankamma David, State vice-president and Ms. P. Sheela Remani, district general secretary of the Mahila Janata Dal, said in a joint statement that they could view it only as the outcome of groupism and political vendetta. They wondered why the officer kept silent so far.

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