Congress should reprimand Priyank Kharge: BJP
New Delhi, Aug 13: The BJP on Saturday asked the Congress to "reprimand" its Karnataka leader Priyank Kharge for his "demeaning" remarks suggesting that women in the state have to give sexual favours for getting jobs.
If a woman from Karnataka wants a job, she will have to get on to the couch and men can land a job only by paying a bribe, Kharge, the son of Congress stalwart Mallikarjun Kharge, had alleged hitting out at the BJP dispensation in Karnataka.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra slammed Priyank Kharge for the "absolutely appalling statement demeaning to women".
The National Commission for Women should question him, he said.
Noting that the Congress is headed by a woman leader, he said Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should reprimand him for making such an "abhorrent" remark.
The BJP government in Karnataka has become a "Lancha-Mancha Sarkara" (bribe and couch government), Kharge, a former state minister, had said in Kannada at a press conference on Friday.
He was referring to Ramesh Jarkiholi's resignation as Water Resources Minister over his alleged involvement in a sex-for-job scandal.
Another BJP MLA K S Eshwarappa resigned as minister after a civil contractor died by suicide alleging that the former had demanded 40 per cent commission for execution of public work.
In this government, you have to shell out money to get a government job. In the past, two ministers of this government have resigned, Kharge said.
The state BJP also hit back at Kharge, saying he should first look inside his party.
The stories of the colourful nightlife of the Congress leaders are not mere hearsay. There are many secret CDs available, it tweeted.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nashik TCS case: Accused Nida Khan held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Nashik (PTI): Weeks after she went into hiding, a female employee of the TCS unit in Nashik, accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues, has been arrested, police said.
Nida Khan was held on Thursday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said.
Khan is an accused in the Deolali Camp police station crime register number 156/26 here, he said.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major’s Nashik unit.
It had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light.
The SIT had launched a search for Khan in different parts of Maharashtra. She is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food.
According to the FIR, Khan allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Some complainants have also alleged that they were coerced or pressured into adopting religious practices, including praying, changing dietary habits, and adopting religious symbols.
Besides Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions for sexual harassment and defamation, Khan has also been booked under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as the complainant belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
On April 18, she had moved the Nashik court seeking anticipatory bail and interim protection from arrest pending the plea hearing, citing her pregnancy. Her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a court here on May 2.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
