New Delhi: Accusing the Congress of double-speak on women dignity, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mahila Morcha on Thursday met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a memorandum seeking stringent action against Congress Lok Sabha MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam over sexual harassment complaints filed by 11 female Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students against him.
The delegation, led by BJP Mahila Morcha National President Rupkumari Choudhary, urged Birla to take cognisance of the matter and ensure swift and impartial action without any political interference, New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj told reporters after the meeting with the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Chaudhary said that everyone has seen how Congress party leaders have been mistreating women in recent days.
“When the party (Congress) leader has such an attitude, those around him also engage in similar behaviour,” she said, training her guns on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
She added that when BJP Mahila Morcha workers were peacefully protesting last week, Congress media coordinator Sanjeev Singh mistreated them.
Additionally, a woman Constable and a journalist were also mistreated during separate incidents by Congress leaders, she said.
“The Congress, which consistently mistreats women, is also patronising its tainted MP from Manipur who was teaching in JNU before being removed by the university,” she added.
“All BJP Mahila Morcha workers are committed to protecting those sisters and daughters, ensuring justice, and standing with them. In the coming days, from the streets to Parliament, the BJP Mahila Morcha will stand with those 11 daughters and continue this fight for justice,” Choudhary said.
The complaints relate to alleged sexual harassment by Akoijam, a former JNU professor and currently a Congress MP from Manipur.
According to the memorandum, 11 female students had submitted written complaints against Akoijam in May, following which an internal committee of the university investigated the matter and found the allegations to be true.
Akoijam was subsequently dismissed by the university administration on October 9.
Earlier, similar memoranda were submitted by BJP Mahila Morcha to President Droupadi Murmu and National Commission for Women Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj questioned Rahul Gandhi’s silence over Mahila Morcha’s demand to expel Akoijam from the Congress.
“Rahul Gandhi’s silence on this entire issue is surprising. Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sonia Gandhi are also completely silent,” Swaraj said.
“Rahul Gandhi may have a strong voice when he calls for ‘smash the patriarchy’, but why does his voice fall silent when it comes to Bimal Akoijam? This is because Congress practices the politics of convenience, not principles,” she added.
Swaraj said that Congress’ feminism certainly begins with hashtags, but is sacrificed when it comes to accountability.
(IANS)
