The Maharashtra legislature was rocked by a purported sleaze video that ‘reveals’ a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist and ex-MP in a compromising position with some unknown women, here on Tuesday.
The video – reportedly running into several hours of different clips – was aired and exposed by a local Marathi new channel, featuring the BJP leader, Kirit Somaiya, a former Mumbai MP and a Chartered Accountant.
As the video went viral, Somaiya, 69, attempted a damage control by suo moto writing to the Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, denying the alleged content featuring him and seeking an investigation into the video.
“A video clip of me was shown on a news channel. It has claimed that I have harassed many women and many such video clips available and complaints receivd against me. I have never abused any woman,” said Somaiya.
He urged both Phansalkar and Fadnavis to order a probe into the allegations and verify the authenticity of the video clips.
Taking note, Fadnavis ordered a high-level probe into the video which has shocked the BJP circles as Somaiya has been famed for his ‘exposes’ against the Opposition parties and their leaders.
The issue flared up in the legislature with the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party and Congress attempting to put the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) on the mat.
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Leader of Opposition in Council, Ambadas Danve said that was more and vowed to produce a pen-drive of Somaiya’s alleged exploits with some women.
His party colleague Anil Parab, NCP’s Anil Deshmukh – both who were targeted by Somaiya – also demanded a thorough probe into the video clips.
Outside, the state Congress President Nana Patole said that “the man who was disrobing people has now himself been stripped” before the people, and recalled how since 2014, Somaiya used to threaten and blackmail people with the ED, CBI, I-T.
Congress leader Yashomati Thakur said that “the true face of Somaiya who tried to create a sensation by making baseless allegations against many leaders, has come in front of everyone”, and expressed apprehension that the TV channels could face the repercussions.
“Now supporting this (TV) channel is the responsibility of all who believe in democracy. Otherwise, there will be raids by organisatios like ED, CBI as well as the possibility of torture of the journalists of this news channel cannot be ruled out,” said Thakur, a former minister.
Slamming Somaiya, she urged the state government to offer protection to the channel and its journos.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Mumbai President Preeti Sharma-Menon said that the Somaiya video episode shows that the Maharashtra BJP is “indeed the most depraved party” and that the state has “such disgusting immoral people as public representatives”.
“The Somaiya episode has exposed the true and sordid character of the BJP. Be it the rapists of Kathua and Unnao, or the sexual harassment allegations by Women Olympians on former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Saran Singh (also a BJP MP), the BJP is the fountainhead of morally reprehensible anti-women crimes. BJP is a party without morals and naturally its leaders are spineless and with a weak moral fibre,” said Sharma-Menon.
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