Sexual harassment cloud, Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan quits

On Thursday, The Indian Express had published contents of the letter sent to the Prime Minister’s Office and Rashtrapati Bhavan by the Raj Bhavan staff. The Governor had denied the charges.

WATCH VIDEO| Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan Quits Over Allegations Of Sexual Harassment

Sources said 68-year-old Shanmuganathan who was in Itanagar for the Republic Day celebrations — he also holds additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh — had asked an assistant in Shillong to collect his personal belongings and files from his bedroom, and the seal of the Meghalaya Governor. These will be sent to Guwahati on Friday morning. Sources said Shanmuganathan will fly to Guwahati from Itanagar to take a flight to New Delhi.

A veteran RSS activist from Tamil Nadu, Shanmuganathan (68) landed in a controversy when 80 Raj Bhavan employees complained that “his activities (have) hurt the decorum and prestige of the Raj Bhavan as well as sentiments of the Raj Bhavan employees”.

His “activities”, the letter sent to the PMO alleged, “seriously compromised the dignity” of Raj Bhavan, converting it into a “young ladies’ club”, causing “severe humiliation, mental stress and torture” to employees, shunting out other employees and bringing in “only the young girls”. The letter alleged that “two public relations officers, a cook and a nurse… all of whom are women” had been appointed on “night duty” at the Raj Bhavan.

On Thursday, two civil society groups — Civil Society Women Organisation (CSWO) and Thma u Rangli (TUR) — conducted a signature campaign and staged a demonstration outside the Shillong Raj Bhavan, demanding immediate removal of the Governor.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said he was waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Ministry to take a call on the Governor. “We will await for what call they will take (on the complaint),” PTI quoted Sangma.

Shanmuganathan had taken charge as Meghalaya Governor on May 20, 2015, held additional charge of Manipur from September 30, 2015 to August 21, 2016, and additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh from September 13, 2016.