Sexual harassment victim: Congress inquiry a sham, don't expect justice from Divya Spandana

“I have never seen someone staring at me the way Chirag did. It made me so uncomfortable. He invaded my personal space. Even when I was having my food he would point his shoes at me,” Nausheen Haider (name changed), the victim of alleged sexual harassment at Congress’ social media department, recalls painfully.

Haider is more disappointed than peeved at not having received any response from the party high command despite sending her complaint to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the AICC grievance redress committee. “The primary responsibility of dealing with this lies with the social media cell where it happened. But the atmosphere there is so toxic we can’t expect much from them. My previous experience tells me that there is no point complaining to them. But I did expect a reply from the office of Rahul Gandhi — at least an acknowledgment of my mail,” Haider told My Nation in an exclusive interview.

“The Congress’s social media department has made a mockery of the sexual harassment inquiry committee that they have set up to look into my case. I wish I could laugh at it. Two people on this committee already signed in favour of Chirag Patnaik, exonerating him of all wrongdoing. They supported the accused instead of standing up for the victim. Or the least I expected was that they had maintained a neutral position.”

“And this happened just 24 hours after Divya Spandana mailed me, promising a fair investigation into my case. What more can I expect from them? Haider said. Spandana is the head of the Congress’ social media department and has been accused of “mental and professional” harassment once Haider brought her plight to Spandana’s notice.