Youth Congress chief Srinivas BV faces 'sexism' charge, sends legal notice to Angkita Dutta

Youth Congress president Srinivas BV on Tuesday (April 18) issued a legal notice to Assam unit chief Angkita Dutta, shortly after she accused him of being a sexist and discriminating against her due to her gender.

Srinivas said in the notice that Dutta was “defaming” him, ahead of leaving the Congress and joining the BJP to ensure closure of cases against her.

Earlier, Dutta, in a series of tweets tagging Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, said: “How can a sexist and chauvinistic leader @IYC torture and demean a woman every single time? What happened to @priyankagandhi ladki hoon ladk Shakti Hoon (sic)?”

Also read: Rahul’s words, Sonia’s sanskar: Smriti Irani on Youth Congress chief’s remarks

She alleged that Srinivas continually harassed her and was biased against her as she was a female.

“My values and education doesn’t allow me (to take this) any more. The leadership has played deaf ears despite bring front of them MANY TIMES (sic),” Dutta tweeted.

@IYC President @srinivasiyc has continually harnessed me and was discriminating on the basis of my gender. My values and education doesn’t allow me anymore. The leadership has played deaf ears despite bring front of them MANY TIMES @RahulGandhi @kcvenugopalmp @priyankagandhi

— Dr Angkita Dutta (@angkitadutta) April 18, 2023

Dutta’s complaint

She claimed that despite complaints, no inquiry committee had been initiated against Srinivas.

Is this the safe space Rahul Gandhi talks about women, she asked.

But Dutta did not cite any specific instance to substantiate her claims.

Responding to the allegations with the legal notice, Srinivas said: “Whoever is found indulging in propagating/peddling false and defamatory content will be held liable under the relevant laws and will be held accountable for their acts.”

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴:-

“When one person makes an accusation, check to be sure he himself is not the guilty one. Sometimes it is those whose case is weak who make the most clamour.”

Whoever is found indulged in propagating/peddling false & defamatory… https://t.co/A41j6nvn8o pic.twitter.com/aewplKzI1w

— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) April 18, 2023

Linking Dutta’s allegations with the coming Karnataka Assembly elections, he said: “Sorry for not being able to answer BJP and their sponsored stooges earlier because of the marathon election campaign in Karnataka, where BJP is all set to lose badly.

“No diversion can save the BJP in Karnataka,” Srinivas asserted.

Legal notice

The legal notice, issued by Roopesh S Bhadauria, who heads the IYC’s legal cell, claimed that the allegations were politically motivated and false.

Alleging that Dutta’s name has come up in the Sarada chit fund scam and in ED/PMLA cases and that the Assam Youth Congress head was in touch with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Bhadauria said she was creating an atmosphere to quit the Congress and join the BJP to have closure of these cases.

Now @vardhanyadav and @srinivasiyc is harassing and defaming me by making this posters. Because they want to throw me out of the party. Please note @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi I am a four generation congress and CBI, ED hasn’t been able to scare me till now pic.twitter.com/m8Ichfkiov

— Dr Angkita Dutta (@angkitadutta) April 18, 2023

He maintained that Dutta had made baseless claims against Srinivas on multiple occasions, without showing any proof.

Bhadauria sought an apology from Dutta on social media and to relatives of Srinivas, failing which legal proceedings will be initiated against her.

(With agency inputs)