New Delhi: The Congress Monday demanded the removal of Amit Malviya from the BJP IT cell in-charge post over allegations of sexual exploitation of women in West Bengal.
Two days ago, Malviya sent a legal notice to Santanu Sinha, a purported RSS member from West Bengal, who levelled the charges.
Addressing a press conference 10 June, Congress social media and digital platforms chairperson Supriya Shrinate said that it would not be possible to get the allegations against Malviya, also the BJP’s West Bengal co-in charge, fairly investigated unless he is removed from all organisational posts.
“We are not levelling these allegations. A member of the RSS has made these grave charges of sexual exploitation against Malviya. Santanu Sinha has said that Malviya indulged in nefarious acts not just in five-star hotels but also the offices of the BJP in West Bengal,” Shrinate said.
Shrinate said Malviya should imperatively be removed from his posts immediately for the sake of justice.
“He holds an extremely influential position. It is a position of power, and there can be no independent probe or justice unless or until he does not get removed from the position,” she said.
Shrinate also said that Malviya, as the head of the BJP’s IT cell, has repeatedly distorted the speeches of Rahul Gandhi, spreading doctored clips to portray the Congress leader in poor light.
Malviya did not spare even Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister, Shrinate added.
“He has crossed every limit of morality and decency in public life. He has publicised and maligned Nehru, distorting the Congress stalwart’s images with his sister and niece. He has cut and snipped Rahul Gandhi’s media bytes, statements, and addresses,” Shrinate said.
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shrinate said she hopes the BJP will mend its ways after losing 63 seats in the general elections. “We hope he (Modi) will learn humility, and he will learn that he cannot consistently stand with people who exploit women,” she said.
According to ANI, Malviya’s legal notice to Santanu Sinha reads: “…The nature of allegations is extremely offensive in as much as they falsely allege sexual misconduct purportedly committed by my client. The same is fatally injurious to the dignity and reputation of my client who — by virtue of his professional profile — is a public figure…”
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also read: Candidate choice, polarisation, cadres who ‘didn’t join fight’ — what tripped up BJP in Bengal