Thiruvananthapuram, January 24: Kerala Congress working president K Sudhkaran, today tendered an apology for his sexist remark. Sudhakaran on Wednesday sparked controversy when he said that state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan “was worse than a woman”. He made the remark while he was speaking at a United Democratic Front (UDF)-sponsored protest rally in Kasargode (north Kerala) on Wednesday against the state government.

The former Lok Sabha parliamentarian from Kannur between 2009 and 2014, Sudhakaran made the controversial statement while inaugurating a state-level picketing programme of the Congress-led UDF in presence of the district collectorate in Kasaragod. “When workers of the CPM eulogised Pinarayi Vijayan as a man with two hearts, even we thought after becoming CM, he would do something like a man. Not only has he failed to act like a man, the reality shows us that he has proved to be worse than a woman,” reported Indian Express quoting Sudhakaran as saying. Misogynistic Professor From Kolkata’s Jadavpur University Puts Up Virgin-Shaming, Sexist Posts on FB.

His remark drew flak from various politic outfits of the state. CPI (ML) polit bureau member Kavita Krishnan condemned Sudhakaran’s statement and sought an apology from him. The leader was elevated to the post of working president of the state in September last year.

This is not the first time that Sudhakaran stirred controversy with his sexist remarks. While addressing a press conference last year, he had said that menstruating women were ‘impure’ and their entering the temple at Sabarimala would break the celibacy of the deity. The Kerala Congress working president, while leading the UDF’s protests on the Sabarimala agitation, had expressed his views that temple traditions must not be disturbed to pave the way for the entry of women of all ages.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2019 04:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).