Second harassment incident within months: CPI(M) expels former MP

Bansa Gopal Chowdhury.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Kolkata 

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) which recently held a massive rally at Kolkata’s Brigade ground is facing a peculiar problem as senior male leaders face allegations of harassment. In a recent development, a female party leader alleged senior leader Bansa Gopal Chowdhury of sending her objectionable messages on social media. 

Mr. Chowdhury has been expelled from the party after the allegations came to light and an internal investigation found him guilty of the charges. This is the second such incident concerning the party’s senior leadership after another senior member Tanmoy Bhattacharya was suspended for harassing a female journalist. 

Mr. Chowdhury, a 65-year-old senior leader and three-time former MP from Asansol was a Paschim Bardhaman district committee member of the party. According to sources, the woman who has raised the allegations is also a former councilor from the Jiaganj-Azimganj Municipality area in West Bengal. 

The female leader posted photographs of Bansa Gopal with other State CPI(M) leaders on social media on February 22 after their three-day State Conference started. 

“How is such a degraded human being be a representative at the CPI(M) State Conference?” the woman’s post on social media read. This came with pictures of Mr. Chowdhury posing with senior party leader and State Secretary Mohammad Salim and others at the State Conference event. 

After the notice for Mr. Chowdhury’s expulsion was made public, the woman who had alleged the leader told The Hindu, “I had faith in my party. They kept my dignity.” 

Mr. Chowdhury has denied all allegations since the start and has said that he has been a victim of a bigger conspiracy.