#MeToo effect: BJP state chief wants visitors screened, office locked in his absence

DEHRADUN

: Wary of any fresh #MeToo controversy,

state BJP president Ajay Bhatt

has asked for visitors coming to his office to be screened and the office locked in his absence. Bhatt has also issued orders to not let anyone enter his office without permission.


“After the incident involving the party general secretary (who resigned from his post following allegations levelled against him by a woman functionary), I have told everyone to keep my office locked. Who knows anybody can enter my office in my absence, keep a packet of condoms and record a video. I will be framed then.” He added, “Earlier, in my absence, people would wait for me in my office but now I don’t want that to happen anymore.”

Bhatt added that the office of Sanjay Kumar, the party leader who is in the eye of the MeToo storm, has also been locked. “Kumar’s assistants have removed all his belongings, including documents and computers, and locked the office. So if tomorrow, a case is filed, it would be between Kumar and the complainant. The party won’t have anything to do with it,” he said.

The BJP office is in a sprawling bungalow on Balbir Road in the Dalanwala area and several people come to visit leaders throughout the day. Last year, a packet of condoms was recovered from the party office which had created a flutter in the saffron camp.

BJP media coordinator Devendra Bhasin said that the state president has passed directions to bolster security. “We will ensure that no mischievous elements get access to the party office.”

The MeToo controversy involving Kumar had come at the worst time possible for the state BJP which was involved in preparing for the civic polls and PM Modi’s visit to Kedarnath earlier this month. Even though the party was initially in denial mode, eventually Bhatt held a press conference a day after the PM’s visit to announce that Kumar had resigned from his post.

The woman functionary who has complained against Kumar has registered a police complaint in the matter and is likely to come to Dehradun from Delhi shortly to record her statement.