Amit Malviya to pursue criminal defamation against RSS' Santanu Sinha over 'sexual exploitation' post
Jun 12, 2024
New Delhi [India], June 12 : BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said on Wednesday that he has decided to pursue criminal defamation against RSS member Santanu Sinha for his social media post on 'sexual exploitation'.
Malviya alleged that Sinha's post dated June 7 created a spectre of a compromised political system, that thrives on objectifying women.
"It views working relationships, across genders, in public life, as binaries, which is demeaning, particularly towards women," he said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The BJP leader had earlier issued a legal notice to Sinha, demanding an apology and the removal of the alleged post from the social media platform. Sinha responded to the notice, saying that his post was not intended to malign Malviya's image as he expressed his "heartfelt sorrow."
Malviya called Sinha's "purported" apology "deeply problematic and reductionist" and added that it fails to meet the demands, as laid out in the legal notice.
"The alleged post was defamatory, calculated and malicious. The wide dissemination by opposition parties has added to the defamation," the statement mentioned.
"As such, I have decided to pursue criminal defamation against Santanu Sinha, under appropriate sections of the IPC. Other civil remedies may also follow, as would be advised," it added.
Earlier on Monday, Congress sought the removal of Malviya from his position following Sinha's alleged 'sexual exploitation' post dated June 7, 2024.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said, "An RSS member, Shantanu Sinha, related to BJP leader Rahul Sinha, has said that the BJP IT Cell head, Amit Malviya, has indulged in nefarious activities."
"He indulges in the sexual exploitation of women. Not just in 5-star hotels but in BJP offices in West Bengal. The only thing that we seek from the BJP is, justice for women," she added.
