CPI-M revokes suspension of Bengal party leader accused of sexual harassment

Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has revoked the suspension of veteran party leader and former MLA Tanmoy Bhattacharya, who was accused of sexual harassment by a woman journalist associated with an independent YouTube news channel in October this year.

The announcement was made through a WhatsApp message circulated by district secretary Mrinal Chakraborty in the North 24 Parganas district committee of the CPI-M. The message claimed that henceforth Bhattacharya will be able to participate in the organisational affairs of the party as he had been doing before.

After the lady reporter on Facebook accused Bhattacharya of making “sexually inappropriate” behavior with her while she went to his residence to interview him in October this year, the state committee of the CPI-M suspended him the same day and also initiated an internal probe against him by the party’s internal complaints committee. Later based on the FIR filed by the lady reporter at Baranagar Police Station, Bhattacharya was summoned by the cops several times for questioning. However, no coercive action was initiated against him by the police administration.

Confirming that the decision to revoke the suspension has come to his notice, Bhattacharya said on Saturday that whatever he has to say in the matter he would do that only in the internal meetings of the party. Bhattacharya had been vehemently denying the accusation of sexual harassment. He has also claimed that the charges of ‘sexual harassment against him was a “well-planned plot” to malign his image.

“I am a communist and will continue to remain so till my last breadth. If I am proven innocent I will continue as a CPI-M activist. If I am held guilty by my party and expelled, I will remain a communist till my last day. Even if I cannot continue as a CPI-M activist, I will continue as a communist,” Bhattacharya had said earlier.