In Palakkad, MLA Rahul Mamkootathil faced significant opposition when he arrived to inaugurate a new road in Pirayiri on Monday. Activists from both the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) converged to block his vehicle, loudly protesting his presence. These demonstrations were sparked by lingering allegations of sexual misconduct against the MLA.
This public appearance marked Mamkootathil’s first high-profile event after maintaining a low profile for over a month due to the ongoing accusations. While he had quietly inaugurated a KSRTC bus service to Bengaluru the previous week, that event had not been publicized.
Both the DYFI and BJP had previously issued strong warnings, vowing to disrupt any of his public engagements. The BJP, in particular, had gone as far as threatening to prevent him from entering Palakkad.
Despite the forceful “go-back” chants from the protesting DYFI and BJP members, supporters from the Congress and Indian Union Muslim League rallied to Mamkootathil’s aid. They physically carried him through the crowd to the inauguration site, effectively bypassing the protestors.
At the venue, Mr. Mamkootathil proceeded to officially open the newly concreted road in Pirayiri, a project funded by ₹10 lakh from his MLA development allocation.