"Not aimed to malign Malviya but...": RSS' Santanu Sinha clarifies his 'sexual exploitation' post

New Delhi: Days after BJP's IT-cell head Amit Malviya filed a defamation suit, RSS member Santanu Sinha clarified on Tuesday that his social media post on 'sexual exploitation' of women was not intended to malign Malviya's image. 

Sinha also called it humiliating that the Congress party was spreading a "hate campaign" against Malviya and the BJP. He also criticised the state (West Bengal) BJP unit, saying that he was "astonished" to see that no one from the state unit tried to know the "purport of the post  but played a dubious role." 

"I want to give a clear message that the post was not aimed to malign Malviya but as caution not to get entangled in a honey trap, which was first brought to light by Tathagata Roy, ex-president of the State unit and former governor of Tripura," Sinha said in a post on Facebook on Tuesday. 

"No corner in the post there is any whisper about sexual exploitation of women by Amit Malviya. Rather I have there expressed my fear if Malviya will be drawn to honey trap by the unscrupulous leaders of the party to remain clung to their post despite such debacle in the recently held election," he added. 

He also expressed his "heartfelt sorrow", adding that he has not written anything untoward in the post. He further said that he is not withdrawing the post. 

"I, a Sangha Swayam Sevak, former State Secretary of ABVP and contestant in the State Assembly election and in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation election, do not want the Bharatiya Janata Party and its office bearers get undermined in any manner by misinterpretation of my post," Sinha said. 

Earlier on Monday, Congress sought the removal of Malviya from his position following Sinha's alleged 'sexual exploitation' post dated June 7, 2024. 

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said, "An RSS member, Shantanu Sinha, related to BJP leader Rahul Sinha, has said that the BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya, has indulged in nefarious activities. He indulges in the sexual exploitation of women. Not just in 5-star hotels but in BJP offices in West Bengal. The only thing that we seek from the BJP is, justice for women." 

Shrinate said that an independent probe into the incident is only possible if Malviya is removed from his position.

"The reality is less than 24 hours after PM Modi was sworn in, serious charges of sexual exploitation have been leveled against a very prominent office bearer of the BJP, the head of its IT cell. Today we seek the immediate removal of Amit Malviya from his position. It's an extremely influential position. It's a position of power and there can be no independent inquiry. There can be no independent probe. There cannot be justice unless and until he doesn't get removed from his position," the Congress leader said.

On June 8, BJP's Amit Malviya filed a defamation suit against Sinha seeking an "unconditional apology" and also warned to sue Sinha if he do not remove the post within three days of the notice. 

"The nature of allegations are extremely offensive in as much as, they falsely allege sexual misconduct purportedly committed by my client. The same is fatally injurious to the dignity and reputation of my client, who, by virtue of his professional profile, is a public figure. Such malevolently malicious statements have been deliberately made to tarnish his reputation," the notice read. 

Malviya, through the notice, alleged ulterior motives and wrongful intent to malign and tarnish his image. Sinha was asked to issue an apology and remove his post within three days from the date of notice, which ends today, June 11. 

Further, it mentioned that Malviya will proceed with legal action against Sinha if he fails to respond to the notice.

"I, the undersigned, therefore call upon you to issue a public apology and take down/remove your defamatory statement(s) given against my client across all public platforms within three (3) days of receipt of this legal notice, failing which my client will be constrained to take appropriate legal action against you Including prosecuting you for civil and criminal defamation at your risk and cost. Further, I call upon you to pay a sum of INR 10 crore as civil damages for the mental harassment, agony and loss of reputation caused to my client that has been caused to my client via your Facebook post dated June 7, 2024," the notice read.