Congress media cell ex-worker alleges sexual harassment

A Congress social media cell member was in the dock after Delhi Police registered a case on charges of sexually harassing a co-worker. The BJP sought to use the allegations to hit out at Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi.

Chirag Patnaik was named in the FIR after a former worker on the social media team approached police claiming that he sexually harassed her.

However, head of Congress social media cell Divya Spandana posted a statement on Twitter that "the complaints committee (of the Congress) does not have any such complaint written/verbal/official/unofficial from the ex-worker; neither do we have access to the complaint the reporter was talking about."

Spandana claimed the reasons cited by the ex-worker for stepping down were personal and health issues and not related to the worker (Patnaik) "in any manner whatsoever". She said they have reached out to the victim and are awaiting her response in the matter.

The BJP sought to corner the Congress and cited alleged cases of sexual harassment against Congress leaders to hit out at Gandhi, who had criticised the NDA government quoting a recent survey that said India was the most unsafe country for women.

BJP hits back

BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi did not find merit in the reports on safety of women and alleged that "far worse" cases were happening abroad.

With wry humour, Lekhi said the Congress president's sister Priyanka was not safe as she was harassed by Congress workers during a march to India Gate to protest against the Kathua rape and murder case.