'Harassment' row heats up in Cong, woman MLA's removal sought

A day after a woman Congress MLA alleged harassment at the hands of Tamil Nadu unit president E V K S Elangovan, his supporters have sought her removal even as the legislator air-dashed to Delhi to ease the State unit chief out of his office.
Of the 61 district Congress presidents, 12, including R Mano (North Chennai), N Rangabashyam (Central Chennai) and V R Sivaraman (Kanchi North), have sought expulsion of S Vijayadharani from the party.
Yesterday, State Mahila Congress President and MLA S Vijayadharani had alleged "harassment, use of filthy, abusive, and defamatory language" by Elangovan against her. She also wrote to the party top brass, seeking his removal.

In an apparent fall-out today, the 12 district presidents in a joint-statement said "Annai (Mother) Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi should take action against Vijyadharani and establish discipline in the party.She must be removed from her Mahila presidentship and basic membership."
They alleged that Vijayadharani was "haughty and contiuously functioning in a manner which besmirched Congress culture and had taken the matter to police which could be settled within the party."
On November 27, the MLA had sought action from Elangovan against those who had dumped a Mahila unit banner in the restroom. She had alleged that Elangovan rather than taking action had used filthy language and asked her to get out.

Referring to this, the functionaries said action could be taken only on the basis of a formal complaint and cannot be done offhandedly.

"We are in the process of sending a memorandum to the high command seeking Vijayadharani's removal," Elangovan confidant and Kanchipuram (North) Congress president V R Sivaraman told PTI.
Vijayadharani, meanwhile, left for Delhi today and her supporters said she was "waiting to meet party chief Sonia Gandhi and Vice-president Rahul Gandhi to protect party interests and seek Elangovan's removal."
Elangovan reiterated he did not use intemperate language against Vijayadharani. "I did not address her disrespectfully. Since she spoke loudly I asked her to not do it and since she continued, I asked her leave my room,"he told reporters adding "as she did not go out, I got out of the room."

Meanwhile, based on the complaint of Vijayadharani's supporters, police have filed a case under IPC sections, inclduing 354, for using force to outrage the modesty of woman and 506 (1) for criminal intimidation against Elangovan.
In a counter-complaint, Elangovan's supporter Alice Manohari alleged that Vijayadharani and her party associates insulted her using casteist terms on November 27 here. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act against Vijayadharani.
(REOPEN MDS8)
Meanwhile, Congress Tamil Nadu media department head
Gopanna, in a party release, listed 49 District Congress Presidents seeking expulsion of S Vijayadharani. However, those listed by him had not signed it.

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