Actor and former Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi distributed the first instalment of pension to Adimaly residents Mariyakutty, 87, and Annamma, 80, two women who had recently protested against the delay in welfare pension distribution.
The actor had gone to Mariyakutty’s house at 200 Acre near, Adimaly, on November 17 and promised to give ₹1,600 each to her and Annamma from his MP’s pension in the upcoming months. Mr. Gopi sent the money to the account of BJP Idukki district general secretary V.N. Suresh and directed him to distribute the money to the women. Mr. Suresh and other leaders visited Mariyakutty’s house at Adimaly on Friday and handed over the money. The amount will be credited to the bank account in the coming months too, the leaders said.
The two women grabbed headlines after they staged a protest against the delay in pension distribution by holding earthen pots in Adimaly town on November 8.
Later, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] mouthpiece, Deshabhimani, had published a report which said that Mariyakutty owned one-and-a-half acres of land and two houses, and her daughter worked abroad. Within days, the woman proved that the news was fake, after which Deshabhimani apologised for printing fake news about Mariyakutty.