NWMI Letter to Congress Leadership
Date: 26 February, 2026
To
Shri Mallikarjun Kharge,
President, Indian National Congress (AICC) & Leader of Opposition ( Rajya Sabha)
AICC HQ, Indira Bhawan, 9A Kotla Marg, New Delhi – 110002
CC to:
Shri Rahul Gandhi
Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) & Senior Leader, Indian National Congress
AICC HQ, Indira Bhawan, 9A Kotla Marg, New Delhi – 110002
Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP (Wayanad) & General Secretary, AICC
AICC HQ, Indira Bhawan, 9A Kotla Marg, New Delhi – 110002
Subject:
Immediate action required: Congress must take organisational accountability and urgently form an
Internal Committee (IC) and restrain its supporters from cyber-intimidating complainants who came
forward to expose its expelled MLA Rahul Mamkootathil.
Respected Shri Mallikarjun Kharge,
As concerned citizens and members of the Network of Women in Media India (NWMI), we wish to highlight the ongoing issues involving Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA (Palakkad). This MLA who has been expelled by your party in December 2025 is facing grave allegations that include sexual violence/rape, brutal physical assault causing injuries, forced abortion, and intimidation.
Though these allegations first appeared in public in August 2025, it was after multiple complainants came forward that the party was finally forced to suspend and then expel the MLA from the party.
One of the complainants is a media professional and an NWMI member. Since she came forward to disclose his condemnable behaviour, she has faced coordinated public targeting and online harassment – mostly from members and social media soldiers of your party – that are clearly meant to silence her and to deter other survivors from approaching the authorities.
The MLA is currently on bail. Meanwhile, his alleged supporters are intimidating the complainants online with impunity.
We want to state this clearly: bail is not exoneration, and due process must continue without fear or favour.
What the complaints and survivor accounts specifically allege
Based on the complainants’ statements and information available with us, the allegations include the following:
Abuse of political power and access: The MLA allegedly approached and continued to seek access when the complainant was in a vulnerable phase in her personal life, and used the power imbalance between them to exploit her vulnerability.
Physical violence and sexual coercion: The complaints describe rape and repeated physical and psychological violence, including injuries, intimidation and coercion.
Coerced abortion: One woman has come forward to disclose that she underwent abortion due to coercion by the accused, while another had a miscarriage. We have strong reason to believe that these are not the only victim-survivors of forced abortion by Rahul Mamkootathil.
Recording and misusing private content: There are allegations that nude/sexually explicit videos were recorded and used to humiliate and intimidate women. The device containing this material has not been produced or recovered so far, thereby increasing the continued risk to survivors.
Pattern across multiple women: The complaints show a similar pattern of predatory behaviour. The timelines also appear to overlap in certain cases. There is reason to believe that more women exist who have not yet filed complaints due to fear, stigma, and intimidation.
The current situation is enabling intimidation
We are deeply alarmed by the ongoing and coordinated cyber harassment, doxxing attempts, survivor-shaming, threats and smear campaigns, which are being carried out by members of the Congress Party, including some party leaders. This is not “social media noise.” It is witness intimidation in full public view.
The Congress party cannot exonerate itself by just expelling the MLA, it has to take further steps. Otherwise the message to survivors is simple: power protects the accused and the complainant pays the price.
An urgent demand to the INC national leadership
We urge you to take the following actions immediately:
1) INC should publicly condemn and make it known that it won’t tolerate cyber bullying of women
outlining the stand of the party’s national leadership on this matter and making it known that:
● INC condemns and will not tolerate survivor-shaming, doxxing, threats or cyber mobs, including by party workers/supporters.
● Anyone found participating in such intimidatory behaviour will face disciplinary action (suspension/expulsion).
● The party will cooperate with the cyber police.
● Congress should make it clear that its members must not give political cover to Rahul Mamkootathil
2) Organisational accountability
The Congress must constitute an Internal Committee (with senior women party leaders and independent legal/rights experts) as per the POSH Act and create a transparent process.
3) Concrete survivor-safety steps, not symbolic gestures
● Create an AICC/KPCC contact for dealing with cases of harassment and ensuring safety.
● Offer legal support.
● Publicly urge law enforcement to act firmly on cyber intimidation and to secure digital evidence.
4) Public instruction to the party ecosystem: no protection, no platforms
Ensure Rahul Mamkootathil and those in party circles who have been defending him are not given party stages, events, social-media amplification, legal or political shielding, or “image management.”
Please note that this is not only about one individual. It is about whether the Congress Party will draw a hard line when allegations involve abuse of power, violence, coercion and intimidation, or whether it will allow the system to wear survivors down until they are forced into silence.
INC have long urged the return of morality to politics. This is when your intervention will decide what message goes out to women across Kerala and across the party.
Yours sincerely,
NWMI
