Mattu claims woman sought favours: job for son, shop for husband
Srinagar: The allegations of sexual harassment by a councillor against Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu have snowballed into a controversy as the latter has now levelled counter-allegations at the woman.
A day ago, Shaheena Altaf, a councillor from Srinagar’s Raj Bagh, accused Mattu of “harassment” and registered a complaint with the police. On Tuesday, both Mattu and the councillor levelled charges against each other by holding press conferences.
The mayor has demanded the disqualification of the councillor from the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. He said he had sent a letter to the Governor with signatures from a majority of corporators. “Whenever I went to his office, he would tell me to come with him. He would touch my hands and arms. He would come to the office drunk. We do not feel safe. We made him the mayor. We voted for him. He cannot get away with this,” Shaheena said. “He has no answers that’s why he is alleging that I asked for a shop for my husband. He is seeking support from the BJP using his influence,” she added. Mattu, however, refuted the allegations and dared the councillor to prove a single allegation.“She is of my mother’s age. We won’t resume work till she is disqualified from the corporation. I dare her to prove a single allegation against me. My only mistake is that I didn’t allow corruption in the Municipal Corporation. She was asking for a job for her son and a shop for her husband,” Mattu said. Meanwhile, employees of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation protested on Tuesday and accused Shaheena of vandalising the office and manhandling one of the officials.
The police said they were investigating the allegations. The mayor and councillor have filed complaints but no case has been registered as yet.Councillor accuses mayor of sexual harassment, he hits back
Mattu claims woman sought favours: job for son, shop for husband
Srinagar: The allegations of sexual harassment by a councillor against Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu have snowballed into a controversy as the latter has now levelled counter-allegations at the woman.
A day ago, Shaheena Altaf, a councillor from Srinagar’s Raj Bagh, accused Mattu of “harassment” and registered a complaint with the police. On Tuesday, both Mattu and the councillor levelled charges against each other by holding press conferences.
The mayor has demanded the disqualification of the councillor from the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. He said he had sent a letter to the Governor with signatures from a majority of corporators. “Whenever I went to his office, he would tell me to come with him. He would touch my hands and arms. He would come to the office drunk. We do not feel safe. We made him the mayor. We voted for him. He cannot get away with this,” Shaheena said. “He has no answers that’s why he is alleging that I asked for a shop for my husband. He is seeking support from the BJP using his influence,” she added. Mattu, however, refuted the allegations and dared the councillor to prove a single allegation.“She is of my mother’s age. We won’t resume work till she is disqualified from the corporation. I dare her to prove a single allegation against me. My only mistake is that I didn’t allow corruption in the Municipal Corporation. She was asking for a job for her son and a shop for her husband,” Mattu said. Meanwhile, employees of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation protested on Tuesday and accused Shaheena of vandalising the office and manhandling one of the officials.
The police said they were investigating the allegations. The mayor and councillor have filed complaints but no case has been registered as yet.