BJP Man Allegedly Molests Arunachal Girls During 'Traditional Ritual'

Guwahati, June 24, 2019:

Arunachal Police have started investigating a case of alleged sexual harassment of a group of women by a self-proclaimed BJP man which purportedly occurred during a “traditional ritual” in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Hindustan Times has reported that the alleged incident reportedly occurred on June 19 when a group of women in Tangzen village in Tawang assembly seat, which is represented by BJP MLA Tsering Tashi, were allegedly asked to swear that they had voted for the BJP.

It has also been claimed that a man who identified himself as a local BJP leader molested two women during the ritual.

A video of the alleged incident, which is circulating online, shows a man molesting two women while a group of them are asked to swear that they voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the last parliamentary and assembly polls.

Police have registered a molestation case following a complaint by the husband of one of the women and 13 others, a police officer said, adding that the women have complained that they were forced to take part in the traditional ritual against their will.

A local police officer in Tawang has confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the matter.

BJP legislator Tsering Tashi has dismissed reports that the man was from his party.

Meanwhile, the BJP MLA Tashi has dismissed the allegations and stated that the alleged molester is in no way connected to him "The person is not an office bearer of the BJP. Some people are trying to tarnish the party’s as well as my image,” Tashi said.

The Arunachal Pradesh Women Welfare Society, (APWWS), an Itanagar-based NGO which is mainly concerned with women's rights, has condemned the incident and asked the government to take stringent action against those involved.

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