New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) removed one of its central committee members, G.V. Sreerama Reddy, from all elected positions in the party. The decision was taken at the central committee meeting on December 15-16.
According to sources, Reddy, who was also the Karnataka state secretary for the party, faced serious allegations of sexual harassment and financial misappropriation. The party conducted an internal probe and found him guilty.
The Left party issued a press release announcing the decision today. However, it did not explain what the charges were, except saying that he was removed “on charges of serious misconduct”.
Although allegations against the veteran communist leader, party sources say, emerged only recently, some of the cases which were pointed out in the probe dated back many years.
They include sexual harassment of some women in the party, illegal land deals, conducting fraudulent financial transactions, and accepting donations from unverified sources.
When The Wire reached out for an explanation, Reddy said, “I have no comments. The central committee’s decision is final and I will abide by it.”
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Following the party’s decision to fire him, the Karnataka state committee of the party held a meeting and unanimously elected U. Basavaraj as the new state secretary. The meeting was held on December 18 in the presence of Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary, and four politbureau members.
Basavaraj has been in the party since the last 30 years. He joined its student’s wing, the Students’ Federation of India and later became a prominent member of the All India Kisan Sabha, party’s farmers’ organisation.
He has also led social movements among the marginalised Devadasis of Karnataka.