'Pushed, locked in Congress office': Radhika Khera after quitting party over Ram Mandir visit insult (WATCH)
Radhika Khera, a leader of the Chhattisgarh Congress, tendered her resignation from the party on Sunday, following allegations of encountering "male chauvinism" from a fellow colleague.
FollowRadhika Khera, a leader of the Chhattisgarh Congress, tendered her resignation from the party on Sunday, following allegations of encountering "male chauvinism" from a fellow colleague. In her resignation letter addressed to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Khera expressed her reasons for stepping down. She stated that she faced criticism from within the party for visiting the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and paying her respects to the Ram Lalla idol, an act she could not refrain from.
"Shri Ayodhya Dham, the birthplace of Ram Lalla, is a very sacred place for all of us and I could not stop myself from going there. But I had never thought in my life that I would have to face so much opposition for visiting there," Khera told ANI news agency after resigning from Congress.
"I was misbehaved with in the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress office, I was pushed there and locked in the room. I kept on screaming and pleading, from the smallest to the biggest leadership, but I did not get justice. Today I have resigned from my party post and primary membership, but I have full faith that Ram Lalla will definitely give me justice," she further remarked.
"Just because I visited Ayodhya, just because I am a Hindu, I am a follower of Sanatan Dharma, I was not given justice. Is your (Congress) fight with Ram Lalla or is your fight with any political party? This party will have to decide. I waited for 6 days and pleaded for justice but nothing happened. So after 22 years, I have resigned from the party," she added.
Earlier this week, a video surfaced online featuring AICC spokesperson Radhika Khera, purportedly announcing her resignation citing "insult" as the reason. Some party insiders suggested that the incident stemmed from a disagreement between Khera and a senior office-bearer.
Khera held the position of AICC's communication and media coordinator for Chhattisgarh. The video garnered attention on social media shortly after Khera tweeted about feeling unsafe for daughters in Mata Kaushalya’s paternal home. In her tweet on Tuesday, she alleged that individuals with a "male chauvinistic mentality" were attempting to suppress daughters, promising to disclose further details.
Chhattisgarh is widely regarded as the birthplace of Mata Kaushalya. The video in question allegedly depicts Khera engaged in a phone conversation initially, with only a female voice audible in later moments.
"What has happened to me today has not happened in 40 years. I have been insulted. A video of him shouting at me was also shot. I was asked to get out. When I talk to him, he yells at me. I told you earlier also. I am also resigning from the party," she purportedly said.
Sources within the Congress informed PTI that an altercation ensued between Khera and the chairman of the state Congress communication wing, Sushil Anand Shukla. The disagreement reportedly revolved around the scheduled visit of senior leader Pavan Khera, slated for Wednesday.
"Neither such dispute has taken place, nor it is in my knowledge," AICC’s Chhattisgarh in-charge Sachin Pilot told reporters in Surguja.
State BJP spokesperson Kedar Gupta said, "A heart-wrenching video of Congress national spokesperson Radhika Khera shedding tears has surfaced. If the national leader of Congress is sad in the land of Mata Kaushalya, then we are also feeling disturbed."
"Radhika ji, you stay away from Congressmen, nothing will happen to you in Chhattisgarh, this is the guarantee of good governance of Modi and (chief minister) Vishnu Deo Sai," he said in a video.
Gupta asserted that while the Congress party talks about "Mahalakshmi Vandan" (Congress party’s electoral promise of providing Rs 1 lakh annually to impoverished women), they exhibit disrespect towards their own female leaders. He further emphasized that the party had insulted a woman, expressing certainty in the downfall of the Congress.
