For the second day, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) raised slogans and protested outside the Maharashtra Legislature staircase, demanding stringent action against a Bharatiya Janata Party ex-MP Kirit Somaiya , after a purported video showing him in compromising position surfaced, here on Wednesday.
The MVA MLAs of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT) accused Somaiya of indulging in blackmail and exploitation of the unknown women, and demanded that he should be booked.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader of Opposition (Council) Ambadas Danve, who raised the issue in the House on Tuesday, said that he had handed over a pen-drive of around eight hours of video clips – which allegedly show Somaiya in compromising poses with unidentified women.
“Many people are asking me to share the videos, but I have handed them to the Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Dr. Neelam Gorhe for doing the needful. If the BJP is a religious party as it claims, then why has it not yet suspended or moved against Somaiya so far,” roared Danve.
He also slammed the BJP for “bringing down” the level of politics in the state and how Maharashtra “ranks among the top in atrocities against women”.
The state has witnessed a furore after the alleged video purportedly showing Somaiya erupted like a thunder-strike on the political landscape, and was raised in the legislature even as it created a storm of indignation on social media.
It also sparked off demonstrations all over the state with calls for action against Somaiya, withdrawing his police security, burning his pictures and effigies, kicking his posters and banners, and other forms of protests.
Gorhe issued a statement urging the women victims to come forward and display faith in the legislature by lodging complaints to take the case ahead.
The Maharashtra State Commission for Women directed the Mumbai Police to probe and submit its report on priority, Congress leader Yashomati Thakur, Aam Aadmi Party’s Preeti Sharma-Menon and other prominent women also targeted Somaiya.
However, Somaiya has denied all the allegations against him and has written to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for a probe, which has now been ordered.
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