West Bengal CPI(M) suspends ex-MLA over allegation of misbehaviour with woman journalist

The journalist claimed that he had made improper advances and touched her when she went to interview him at his residence

Updated - October 29, 2024 12:29 am IST - Kolkata

Kolkata: CPI(M) MLA Tanmoy Bhattacharya(R) addressing a rally.

Kolkata: CPI(M) MLA Tanmoy Bhattacharya(R) addressing a rally. | Photo Credit: PTI

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) suspended former West Bengal MLA Tanmoy Bhattacharya on Sunday following allegations of sexual harassment by a female journalist.

The journalist has filed a police complaint against Mr. Bhattacharya at Baranagar police station.

Speaking about the incident on Facebook Live, she said: “I am mentally drained… This morning I had an interview with CPI(M) leader Tanmoy Bhattacharya at his residence. While we were setting up the camera, he came and sat on my lap. I told him I did not appreciate it and requested him to not do it again.”

She added that in previous interactions, the former MLA of Dum Dum Uttar constituency has shown a propensity for physical gestures like touching her arm, etc. “I did not like it even then, but I remained silent and now I realise, I should not have,” she said.

In the social media post, the journalist also wrote that this has been her worst experience in her four years of journalism. “They are the potential rapists, and it is important we know who they are,” she said.

In response to the allegations, the party condemned the alleged actions of Mr. Bhattacharya and said it is the opposite of what CPI(M) stands for, the party said in a public statement on Sunday.

“The party does not support Tanmay Bhattacharya’s actions towards an on-duty journalist, as alleged… The allegations against him have marred the image of the party,” the public statement put out by the CPI(M) reads.

The party also said that assessing the gravity of the complaint, Mr. Bhattacharya has been suspended from the party and the complaint has been passed to an internal complaints committee (ICC). “The party will take further steps based on the recommendations of the ICC,” the CPI(M) said in its statement.

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh took to social media to raise questions about why the police have not arrested Mr Bhattacharya yet. “The assaulted journalist has already given her statement. Why has Mr. Bhattacharya not been arrested yet?” Mr. Ghosh wrote on X.

“We don’t want to do politics. Otherwise, I would have gone to the police station by now,” he added.

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