The Communist Party of India (CPI) has expelled Mathur Sathya from its primary membership and associated organisations following allegations of sexual harassment and the filing of a police complaint against him, party leaders said on March 16.
South Chennai district secretary SK Siva said in a statement that Mathur had been removed from the party, the All India Youth Federation (AIYF), and the Indian Society for Cultural Cooperation and Friendship (ISCUF) after the district committee discussed the allegations at a meeting held on March 14.
The party has also submitted a complaint to the Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner seeking legal action in support of the women who made the allegations. “Nobody from CPI, AIYF and ISCUF should have any relationship with Mathur Sathya,” Siva said in a statement.
According to the CPI, the allegations were brought to its attention through a complaint sent by a third party, following which disciplinary action was taken and Mathur was stripped of all positions within the organisations. The development has drawn attention within party circles, as Mathur had been associated with CPI-linked mass organisations and was known as a political commentator.
In a statement posted on social media, Mathur said, “I haven’t been given an audience to present my side yet. All my life, I have done everything with anyone I encountered only after explicit consent.” He added that he would respond to the allegations through legal means.
Mathur, originally from Salem, first gained visibility through his work on social justice and public policy. An engineering graduate who left a corporate job in 2019, he became associated with the Neelam Social platform founded by filmmaker Pa Ranjith, where he produced explainer videos on caste, inequality, and politics. He was also involved in study circles and discussions centred on the ideas of BR Ambedkar, Periyar, and Karl Marx, and participated in protests and grassroots initiatives related to social justice.