Pallavi Devulapalli accuses Green Party of acting ‘like a cult’ as it expels her for opinions on trans ideology
A councillor and parliamentary candidate has accused the Green Party of acting “like a cult” after it expelled her for raising concerns about trans ideology.
Pallavi Devulapalli has been suspended since September - but was told last week she had been kicked out following a nine-month investigation.
The councillor, who sits on West Norfolk Council, is one of the Green’s most high-profile figures in the region and stood for the party at last year’s general election in South West Norfolk.
Cllr Devulapalli, who works as a GP, was suspended after the party received a complaint about comments she made at a hustings event in Downham during the election campaign last June.
In a discussion about transgender rights, the councillor – who was the party’s national health spokeswoman at the time – spoke out in support of the Cass Review.
The independent report recommended halting the prescription of sex hormones to young patients with gender dysphoria.
She also expressed her support for sex-based rights and questioned whether the debate over trans issues was being promoted “mischievously”.
In its ruling expelling her, the party said she was being removed to “avoid or reduce the likelihood of further harm to the party”.
Cllr Devulapalli, who sits as an independent on the borough council, said she was “disappointed and infuriated” by the decision.
“It seems like they are picking and choosing science that fits with their ideology,” she said.
“When it comes to climate change and pollution, all the policies are based on scientific reasoning.
“But when it comes to human biology, they have this enormous blind spot where they cannot see that sex is real, men cannot become women.
“We cannot pump people full of hormones to change their biological sex. It is not possible and is actually dangerous.”
‘SCIENCE DENIERS’
The Green Party’s rights and responsibilities page on its website states: “Trans men are men, trans women are women, and non-binary identities exist and are valid”.
The party, which declined to endorse the Cass Review, also supports making it easier for trans people to change their legal status without the need for a Gender Reassignment Certificate (GRC).
Cllr Devulapalli believes the Greens’ stance on sex and gender is at odds with “scientific facts”, and says she is concerned about the long-term health impacts of hormone treatment.
She said: “Of course, people who feel uncomfortable in their bodies deserve to be treated with compassion.
“But misleading children and young people by telling them it is possible to change their sex is just wrong.
“If they become an adult and it is affecting them to such an extent that they still wish to pursue changing their bodies, then that is up to them to decide.
“But to mislead children and say, ‘I have a solution for you to become a girl or a boy’ when there is not one is dangerous and harmful.”
The use of puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria has been banned indefinitely following the publication of the Cass Review.
Trans activists have called the move “draconian” and claimed it risks the safety and well-being of young trans people.
But Cllr Devulapalli believes that hormone treatments risk harming the health of children and can have long-term consequences, like affecting fertility and bone density.
MIXED MESSAGES?
The Green Party’s decisive action against Cllr Devulapalli is in stark contrast to how it responded to complaints against Charlie Caine.
The Norwich city councillor was accused of shouting “Nazis” at a group of women attending a silent vigil for Afghan women and children earlier in the year.
The event was organised by the Norwich Women’s Rights Group (NWRG) and Women’s Rights Network (WRN) Norfolk.
The groups have previously raised concerns about the impact of gender ideology on women and girls, although the vigil was not related to this issue.
However, the party declined to take any action against the Mile Cross councillor, who is a trans man – someone born female but who identifies as male.
Officials said this was because the councillor, who was elected for the Greens last year, had forgotten to actually join the party in the first place.
Although the politician had since become a member, the party has declined to investigate the complaint.
‘CULT-LIKE ATTITUDE’
The contrast with her own treatment has added to Cllr Devulapalli’s frustrations.
She said: “What Charlie Caine is accused of was totally unacceptable by any reasonable standards, and yet the party has chosen ignore, overlook and, some might say, condone it.
“It highlights the cult-like attitude of the party when it comes to transgenderism.
“I am deeply upset that they see me as a threat to members, simply for talking about biological reality – compared to the dismissive treatment of a person who has a track record of being accused of openly abusing women.”
TRANS POLICY CAUSES DIVISION
The councillor’s expulsion is the latest rupture to emerge over the party’s stance on transgender rights.
It has caused deep internal divisions and Cllr Devulapalli believes the leadership is quick to stamp out any criticism.
In 2024, the party lost a court battle with former spokesman Shahrar Ali, when a judge found it had unlawfully discriminated against him during a row over his gender-critical beliefs.
He was awarded £9,100 after the court ruled his sacking was “procedurally unfair”.
Dr Devulapalli said the party, in the last year, had shut its internal message board, Green Space, but had not said why.
“Language around sex is like blasphemy for them,” she said.
“In the Green Party there appears to be an endemic culture that questioning gender messaging for children and/or standing up for women’s rights is automatically classed as ‘transphobic’.”
She claimed that officials had not fully investigated the complaint and said she had been told she could not appeal against the decision.
“Suspension and expulsion without a proper investigation or right to appeal is a clear abuse of the disciplinary process, and members are wondering if the reason for my expulsion is to stop me from standing for election in leadership roles,” she said.
“It seems the party are so afraid of the truth being told that they seek to banish all who speak it.”
In addition to her comments, the party said her expulsion was also down to the fact she had gone to a local Green Party Christmas social gathering, despite being suspended at the time.
A Green Party spokesman said its policies prevent the party from commenting on individual cases.
“We have a robust disciplinary process designed to uphold our code of conduct that we expect all members to adhere to,” they said.
“We don’t, however, comment on individual cases.”
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party MP for Waveney and co-leader of the party, has not responded to a request for comment.
Following her expulsion, Cllr Devulapalli says she will continue to stand as an independent, fighting to protect biodiversity, safeguarding the natural world and improving people’s health.
She is also considering her next steps and has not ruled out pursuing legal action.
“I am still in a state of shock and am yet to decide my next steps,” she said.
“But I am keeping my options open. Several senior Greens have contacted me in support.”
