Bhubaneswar: Members of the BJP’s Odisha women’s wing burnt an effigy of Rahul Gandhi Saturday and questioned the “silence” of his party over Jawaharlal Nehru University dismissing professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, also a Congress MP from Manipur, following sexual harassment complaints against him.
Akoijam was a professor at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems under JNU’s School of Social Sciences. He has rejected allegations of seeking sexual favours in exchange for marks, challenging those making the claims to produce evidence.
In the Odisha capital, the BJP activists under the leadership of the party’s state Mahila Morcha president Aishwarya Biswal staged a demonstration near the Congress Bhavan.
Biswal said, “Leaders across the board, from Rahul Gandhi to the central and Odisha leadership of the Congress party, have remained silent on this issue. We are protesting here against the double standards of Rahul Gandhi, who speaks of women’s empowerment. We have burnt the effigies of Rahul Gandhi and Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam.
Earlier, addressing a press conference at the state BJP headquarters here, Biswal alleged the Congress’ claims over women’s empowerment were superficial. “Its leaders display anti-women behaviour both inside and outside Parliament.
“In Indian culture, a teacher is accorded the stature of God. Misbehaving with students, who should be treated like daughters, is utterly condemnable. Professor Akoijam’s actions have tarnished the sacred Guru-Shishya tradition,” Biswal said.
She also accused Gandhi of disrespecting parliamentary norms, culture, and women in public life, alleging that Congress leader had made derogatory remarks against President Draupadi Murmu.