Kerala harassment allegations widen as Congress youth leader resigns

In Kerala, a sequence of allegations spanning actors and a young Congress leader has drawn fresh attention to how harassment allegations are handled in politics. Actress and former journalist Rini Ann George publicly alleged that a young leader from a prominent party repeatedly sent her obscene messages and even invited her to a hotel. She did not name the politician, but she said the incidents began years ago and continued into early 2025. The remarks came as part of a broader appeal to senior party leaders to take action, with George noting that several other women had faced similar harassment and that she spoke up to support them. “If I file a complaint, I will put myself in danger,” she said, adding that she hoped elected representatives would be held to higher standards.

Political reaction quickly escalated. The leader most closely associated with the discussions in public and on the ground was Rahul Mamkootathil, a Palakkad MLA who also served as the state president of the Youth Congress. While George did not name him, speculation linked Mamkootathil to the allegations as the discourse intensified. In the aftermath, protesters from political parties gathered outside his...