Here’s how Annamalai defended BJP after party gen sec quits over sexual harassment video leak

Chennai, Aug 25: BJP state general secretary KT Raghavan on Tuesday resigned from his post following the release of a video levelling sexual harassment charges against him. The video was released by YouTuber Madan Ravichandran who joined the BJP last October.

In the video, Ravichandran alleged that he had released the video with the consent of BJP state president K Annamalai and that he has video and audio evidence regarding 15 office bearers of the BJP who had indulged in sexual harassment.

A few hours after the video went viral on social media, Raghavan tweeted: "I deny the allegations. This video has been released to malign me and my party. I met the party's state president K Annamalai and I resigned from the party post. I will face the allegations legally. Dharma will win."

Raghavan also said, "The people of Tamil Nadu and those associated with me knew well who I am. I have been working (for the party) for the past 30 years without expecting anything in return."

Exactly two months ago, a Tamil daily had carried a report titled "Kamalalayam may soon have a Vishaka Committee', which said that during a meeting of the state unit held on June 19 at Mahabalipuram, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi who is in charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu had allegedly received hundreds of sexual harassment complaints against one particular leader. Following this, the BJP's state unit had issued a legal notice to the daily.

What Annamalai said:

Accepting his resignation, BJP state president K Annamalai, who is a former IPS officer from Karnataka, said, "Raghavan has said that he has been falsely framed and that he is resigning from the party post keeping in mind the party's image."

Referring to the words of Madan Ravichandran that more videos would be released, Annamalai said, "This has raised suspicions whether Ravichandran has some ulterior motive in doing so. This is not acceptable."

Asserting that women were being treated with respect in the BJP, Annamalai announced that an enquiry committee headed by state secretary Malarkodi would inquire into the allegations against Raghavan and the veracity of the video released by Madan Ravichandran and based on that, further action would be taken.

Annamalai said Ravichandran, during his two meetings with him, claimed that he had many videos relating to many office bearers and that the party should take action against them.

"I told him that if the videos are screened to me, based on their veracity, I will take further action. However, Ravichandran refused to hand over the videos. Later, he also sent a message saying if no action was taken, he would be releasing the video. I was firm that action cannot be taken until the exact charge is known and ended the matter by saying do whatever you wish to,” Annamalai added.