BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams Congress over Simi Rose Bell John's expulsion following allegations of "exploitation in Congress"

"This is a very shameful example of what the Congress really is. The Congress party, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi, before the elections, will talk about women's safety. They will make tall claims about protecting the constitutional rights and the dignity of women. When it comes to after election, in their own party, there are people who look for justice," Chandrasekhar said.

"There is a woman leader of the Kerala Congress who says I want justice, I was harassed. The complaint is not investigated. Nobody goes through any investigation to give her justice, she is dismissed. This is the true colour of Congress...The people of India should know the truth about the Congress, about how they speak one thing before elections and do exactly the opposite after elections," he added.

Ahead of this, while addressing a press conference Chandrasekhar said, "Kerala recently, after five years of back-footing and back-peddling, the left government has been forced to release the HEMA committee report, which has spotlighted the extensive exploitation and harassment of women in the film industry."

"I draw your attention today, given these unfortunate happenings, to a senior lady leader of the Congress in Kerala, Simi Rose Bell, who has alleged that there is exploitation in the Congress, and when she points out that there is a casting couch in the Kerala Congress, she is summarily dismissed from the party," he added.

Further narrating the allegation labelled by Simi Rose Bell John Chandrasekhar said, "She said 'in the Congress party, there is no place for upright people'. In any other place in India, if a woman in the workplace raises an issue of sexual harassment, it is the bounden duty of the organization under the law to constitute a committee, a Visakha committee, to investigate the accusations of harassment..."

"But no, the Congress Party does not believe in that. When a woman leader of the Congress Party alleges harassment, alleges exploitation, they do not investigate it. They silence her and remove her from the party...," said Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Notably, Simi Rose Bell John was expelled from the party on Sunday following her alleged derogatory remarks against women leaders of the Congress in an interview with a private TV channel.

While, Kerala Congress Chief K Sudhakaran on Sunday said that the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) will investigate a complaint filed by the Mahila Congress against Simi Rose Bell John. The complaint concerns derogatory remarks made by John about Congress women leaders.

"Mahila Congress has filed a complaint against Simi Rose Bell John's allegations. Simi made bad remarks against the leaders. Her allegations are baseless. KPCC will investigate the complaint filed by Mahila Congress," Sudhakaran said. (ANI)