Gowri Amma asks Kerala CM to wear a sari' to understand women's plight

Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Kerala Communist leader K R Gowri Amma on Wednesday had a word of advice for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government on women safety.

The 98-year-old leader, who is known for not mincing her words, suggested the chief minister that if he wanted to understand the plight of women, he should "wear a sari and walk around".

Gowri Amma was addressing a function organised to mark the diamond jubilee celebrations of the state legislative assembly.

The chief minister and former members of the Assembly were also present in the function.

"I have walked home alone even at 10 pm as a legislator. Today, the situation has changed," the fiery leader said.

"The problems being faced by women will be known while you are on the road," she said.

Gowri Amma was a member of the first Communist government in Kerala headed by E M S Namboodiripad in 1957. She was also a minister in the Communist governments of 1967, 1980 and 1987.

After she was expelled for anti-party activities from CPI(M) in 1994, Gowri Amma floated the Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithi (JSS), which became an ally of the Congress-led UDF. She was part of the Congress governments from 2001-2006.

Gowri Amma and E Chandrasekharan (CPI) were honoured at the function on Wednesday. The latter could not make it to the event owing to ill-health.

Several former and present legislators, including Congress leaders Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and R Balakrishna Pillai, were also present and occupied the seats once alloted to them at the old assembly complex in the Secretariat.