Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 | After Simi Rose Bell, Sharda Rathore says 'casting couch' exists in Congress: BJP's Amit Malviya

Sharda Rathore, two time MLA from Haryana, alleged that Congress tickets in Haryana elections were being distributed on the basis of 'chamdi aur damari' (skin or money).

BJP's Amit Malviya on Saturday claimed that two-time MLA from Haryana Sharda Rathore repeated the accusation of prevalence of ‘casting couch’ in Congress.

This comes after Kerala Congress leader Simi Rose Bell was expelled after she had alleged that 'casting couch' was prevalent in the party.

"Now Sharda Rathore, two time MLA from Haryana, repeats the same charge. She alleges that Congress tickets in Haryana elections are being distributed on the basis of of 'chamdi aur damari' (skin or money).

However, in the video shared by Malviya, Rathore is not heard directly making this allegation.

Earlier, former Congress party and PSC member Simi Rose Bell John, who was expelled on Sept 1, had said that women with self-respect cannot work in the grand old party. “In this party, women with self-respect won't be able to work. I was also expelled from the party...the only mistake I made was I became the voice of the women here,” John had told the media, responding to her expulsion.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan and other Congress leaders were accused of only giving opportunities to those 'close to the leadership' by Simi in her 'casting couch' allegations.

She also claimed that many individuals who have had negative experiences have shared their stories with her, and she also possessed 'proof' that will be revealed in due course.

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) General Secretary M Liju had dubbed John's accusations as an attempt to “mentally harass” and “defame” lakhs of women leaders and workers in the Congress, allegedly in “collusion with political adversaries” while expelling her.

“Women leaders from the KPCC Political Affairs Committee, KPCC office bearers, and Mahila Congress State President, among others, had jointly requested the KPCC leadership to take action against her…The party is convinced that John's actions constituted a serious breach of discipline,” the KPCC had further said.