BJP Slams Congress Over Expulsion of Kerala Leader for 'Casting Couch' Allegations

The BJP criticized Congress for expelling Kerala leader Simi Rosebell John after she alleged a culture of exploitation and casting couch within the party. BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused Congress of silencing women who speak up about harassment. He also addressed the Left government in Kerala, criticizing the delayed release of the Hema Committee report on the Malayalam film industry.

The BJP on Monday slammed the Congress for expelling a Kerala leader from the party after she alleged a culture of casting couch in the organisation, accusing the opposition party of paying lip service to women's issues publicly but silencing their voices in reality.

BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said Kerala Congress leader Simi Rosebell John had alleged a culture of exploitation and casting couch in the party and was summarily dismissed. In the press conference, he also noted that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is looking into the issues related to the OTT series, 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', following its criticism by a section of people. Nobody should have any doubt that the hijackers of the plane were from the ISI, the Pakistani spy agency, he told reporters. Raising the issue of the Cogress's treatment of its Kerala leader, he said if a woman raises the issue of harassment in the workplace, it is the organisation's duty to probe and ensure justice.

The Congress does not believe in that and has instead chosen to silence and remove her from the party, Chandrasekhar said.

He noted that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have often spoken about issues facing women but maintain a studious silence when it comes to the atrocities against women, be it in Kolkata, Kannauj or Kerala.

John said after her expulsion that there is no place for upright people in the Congress, he noted.

He also attacked the Left government in Kerala over the Hema Committee report which spotlighted the harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry, saying it was forced to release the findings several years after it was submitted. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee had said the disciplinary action was taken because prima facie the party was convinced that John's act was a serious breach of discipline.

Women leaders of KPCC's political affairs committee, female office-bearers of the PCC and the Mahila Congress chief requested the party leadership in a joint complaint to take action against John, a former AICC member, it said.

(With inputs from agencies.)