HUBBALLI: The Congress party found itself in an embarrassing situation after a woman party worker levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against women by male colleagues, at a seminar in Dharwad on Sunday.Participating in `Chunavane: Ola-Horagu’ (Elections: Inside-Outside) on Sunday, Anita Gunjal , a senior party worker, accused a Youth Congress leader of making advances and pressuring her for sexual favours, while in an inebriated condition. The seminar was organized by a women's organization, Karnataka Mahila Dourjanya Virodhi Okkoota, Dharwad.“They (male colleagues) want us to look glamorous and don’t hesitate to touch us inappropriately,” she alleged.Sharing her own experience during the Lok Sabha election in 2014, Gunjal said a Youth Congress leader asked her to wait till 11pm, when she was campaigning for party candidate Vinay Kulkarni, who contested from Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency.“A Youth Congress leader (who she did not name) asked me to wait till late night and later, in an inebriated state, misbehaved with me. When I pushed him, he apologized,” she said.Gunjal said she had informed Kulkarni, a former minister in the Siddaramaiah government, and he had expressed regret over the incident. She also alleged that there are leaders in the party who suggest to them to dress “appropriately”. “We get opportunities only if we look glamorous,” she claimed.She also asserted that she is raising the issue openly now, with the intention of avoiding untoward incidents for other women workers in future.Responding to her apprehensions, former minister C Motamma, who was chief guest at the seminar, asked women workers to be careful and avoid getting into difficult situations. “There are bad people in all parties and organizations. We should fight against them. Our sincerity and hard work will definitely be recognized one day or another,” she said.

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