Brinda Karat raps Jethmalani on Jessica issue

Kolkata, Nov 10: Describing as 'shocking' the remark of noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Jessica Lal, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat today said it was an insult to all women.

" Mr Jethmalani is an elderly Rajya Sabha member and senior lawyer. What he has said on Jessica Lal not only is a character assassination, but also insult to all women, " she told reporters after speaking at a rally of All India Democratic Women's Association on the occasion of its golden jubilee year.

Mr Jethmalani, holding the brief for Manu Sharma, the accused in the case, said in the court that Jessica was murdered by some other person for "insulting his manhood and refusing to part with something that she had." Referring to the murder of two Dalit women in Maharashtra, Ms Karat said her party would demand a CBI inquiry into the incident.

" We have been pressing the Maharashtra Government for the past one month, but it is not taking any steps. we will demand to the Centre to hold a CBI probe. " Earlier, Ms Karat praised the Left Front Government, saying West Bengal was the only state in the country where difference in the male and female sex ratio had decreased while it was increasing elsewhere in the country.

She appealed to all political parties to ensure enactment of the Women's Reservation Bill, likely to be placed in Parliament shortly.

UNI