'Was pushed, locked in Cong office room': Radhika Khera after resigning from Congress

Chhattisgarh Congress leader Radhika Khera resigned from the party on Sunday, days after leveling a "male chauvinism" charge against a colleague. After resigning from the party, Khera said she was misbehaved with in the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress office.

"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."

"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 said while speaking to news agency ANI.  

Khera said she had never crossed the party line and worked with full devotion and honesty. "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 said. 

Earlier this week, a video went viral in which AICC spokesperson Radhika Khera purportedly said she was resigning due to "insult". Some party leaders said the outburst was the fallout of an argument between her and a senior office-bearer. 

Khera was AICC's communication and media coordinator for Chhattisgarh. The video clip went viral on social media, hours after Khera's tweet alleging "daughter is not safe in Mata Kaushalya’s paternal home". "People suffering from male chauvinistic mentality are still trying to crush daughters under their feet. I will reveal," she tweeted on Tuesday.

Chhattisgarh is believed to be the birthplace of Mata Kaushalya. The video purportedly shows Khera talking over the phone for initial moments and later only a female voice is heard. "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 in Congress told PTI that an argument took place between Khera and state Congress communication wing chairman Sushil Anand Shukla over the visit of senior leader Pavan Khera scheduled 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 claimed they (Congress) talk about Mahalakshmi Vandan (Congress party’s poll promise of giving Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women) but disrespect their own women leaders. "They have insulted a woman. Now the destruction of Congress is certain," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)