Kerala: Taxi Driver-Turned-CPM Leader Axed From Party After Wife Converts To Islam

The party has denied the allegations and said he was expelled for anti-party activities

Kerala CPM leader expelled

Thiruvananthapuram: A Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader on Friday alleged that he was expelled from the party after he complained about his wife's conversion to Islam. However, the party has denied these allegations and said he was expelled for anti-party activities.

PT Gilbert, a CPM member from the Malappuram district, alleged that two persons from the party called his wife in his absence and forced her to convert to Islam. She left home on June 9 and when he informed party leaders about her being missing they did not help him. "They (party leaders) did not even go with him to the police station to file a complaint. I was not informed beforehand about this expulsion from the party formally. I learned about it from the party's newspaper and through social media," alleged Gilbert who is a taxi driver by profession.

CPM Malappuram district committee has denied his allegations. "He was expelled from the party for his character unbecoming of a party member. All his allegations are false," said the party's statement.

According to the Thenhipalam police, the complaint is a fake one. The woman, as per the complaint, is Gilbert's wife's sister. He has a 13-year-old son in his relationship with this woman. After she left her house on June 9, Gilbert filed a missing complaint with the police.

As per the police, the woman was brought to the police station along with her son. "After recording her statement, she was produced before the Court. She said in the Court that it was her decision to learn about Islam. She also said that Gilbert never protected her and even used to abuse her. After recording her statement the Court allowed her to go back to Kozhikode. Her 13-year-old son informed Court that he wanted to live with his mother. The Court allowed the child to stay with his mother. The woman also informed the Court that she did not want to convert the child", police said.

"The religious institution where the woman and her son are staying now responded that they cannot convert a 13-year-old boy. They can not do anything till he turns 18," the police said.

(With inputs from ANI)