In a fresh controversy for the ruling Congress in Punjab, party’s legislator Hardial Singh Kamboj was on Tuesday accused by a woman principal of a school in Patiala district of physical and mental harassment through management of the same school.

The woman principal, Anjali Singh, has accused Congress legislator from Rajpura, Kamboj of using school the management to exert pressure on her.

Anjali, who was appointed as a principal in March, 2016 at Rajpura based senior secondary school run by Patel Memorial Society, alleged the society’s general secretary MohinderSehgal has been harassing her on the behest of Congress legislator Kamboj. Anjali said she has already made a formal complaint with State Women Commission against the school management on Monday.

Anjali, who is from Chandigarh, said, she has been living in Patiala since her appointment in 2016 with the school having a strength of 2323 students and over 100 staff members. She even alleged that the management threatened her to face the consequences in case she does not meet the guidelines laid by it. The principal alleged that the school management pressurised her to do wrong favours in terms of passing failed students or appointing their candidates as they were politically influenced. ” When Congress came to power and Kamboj became legislator, his attitude towards me was worsened. Both, Sehgal and Kamboj, started harassing me mentally and physically when I refused to entertain them as per their whims ad fancies. Sehgal was used to talk me in abusive language on the behest of Kamboj”, she said.

The principal said she was asked to meet Kamboj at his home by his close associate. “I wondered, is it required for the principal to visit him? I was very scared that day. I gathered some courage and walked through the hundred odd people to meet him. I was asked to sit after an hour. I was called when everyone in the room had left. Kamboj clearly asked me to favour him or be ready to face the consequences from the management”, Anjali said adding that she was asked to send female staff members to meet the legislator.

On the other hand, the Rajpura legislator, Hardial Singh Kamboj told The Statesman that he was being falsely implicated in the controversy. The legislator denied about any personal dialogue or meeting with the school principal. “I met her just once during a public meeting when she offered me a bouquet and introduced herself as school principal. I had been receiving certain complaints against her from the parents of school children. There were complaints against the principal for her alleged involvement in corruption. Following this, the school management took action against the principal and decided not to extend her duties”, said Kamboj. Meanwhile, Chairman of Punjab Women Commission, ParamjeetKaurLandran said the Commission will enquire the issue within 15 days to reach to the conclusion.