Assam CM’s jibe at Cong as cops issue notice to IYC chief in harassment case
As Assam Police on Sunday (April 23) issued a notice to Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief Srinivas BV, asking him to appear at Dispur Police Station in connection with a harassment and discrimination case, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to say it was unfair to blame him “for the lack of a safe environment within the Congress party for female workers”.
Sarma’s jibe was aimed at Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, who dismissed the allegations against Srinivas as “propaganda” and said Sarma was “infamous for his antics to stay in the news”. Surjewala said no attention should be paid to Sarma, as he was “trying to outbid” Union home minister Amit Shah to his post.
The Assam police is acting in accordance with the law. They are currently investigating a case filed by a female Congress worker against the accused person under Section 354 of IPC. It is unfair to blame me for the lack of a safe environment within the Congress party for female… https://t.co/ebVgqWQZRW pic.twitter.com/bK7HeEOAAd
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 23, 2023
Congress calls it “propaganda”
“The turncoat CM of Assam who is trying to outbid Amit Shah to his post has now become infamous for his antics to stay in news…We reject this propaganda completely. Sometimes he wants to arrest Pawan Khera; sometimes he wants to arrest Srinivas BV,” Surjewala said at a press conference on Sunday.
“Perhaps it is to save the ignominy that Mr (PM Narendra) Modi was trying to arrest him once for Saradha Scam and Louis Berger Scam. That is why he defected to BJP. Reject him; don’t pay any attention to him,” he added.
Sarma, in response, tweeted that the Assam Police was acting in accordance with the law and that it was unfair to blame him for the “lack of a safe environment” within the Congress for female workers.
“Please advise the accused to cooperate with the legal process,” he wrote in the tweet. He also posted a copy of a notice issued to Srinivas asking him to appear at Dispur Police Station before 11 am on May 2.
Also read: Woman who accused Congress leader of harassment expelled from party
The charges
Dispur police on Saturday registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by Angkita Dutta, former president of Assam Youth Congress, against Srinivas BV. In her complaint, Dutta alleged Srinivas of “harassing” and “discriminating against” her for six months after she levelled sexual harassment charges against former IYC president Keshav Kumar.
She had earlier accused Srinivas of being “sexist and chauvinistic.” Following her claims, the Assam CID had summoned her, and the National Commission for Women had also urged the Assam Police to investigate the charges.
The charges against Srinivas are under sections 509, 294, 341, 352, 354, 354 A (iv) and 506 IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act.
BJP’s jibe at Congress
The Assam Congress has already suspended Dutta for six years due to her “anti-party” activities. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has labelled the allegations as “baseless and politically motivated.”
This is Congress’s model of women empowerment! Sack the woman who alleged harassment instead of providing a platform to hear her grievances. The manner in which Angkita Dutta has been removed from the Congress is uninspiring for women.
लड़की हूँ, लड़ सकती हूँ is a hollow slogan. pic.twitter.com/KrtId3TmaO
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 22, 2023
The BJP hit out at the party, with the saffron party’s IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeting: “This is Congress’s model of women empowerment! Sack the woman who alleged harassment instead of providing a platform to hear her grievances. The manner in which Angkita Dutta has been removed from the Congress is uninspiring for women.”
Malviya also tweeted, “Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon is a hollow slogan.” He was referring to the Congress’s slogan during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls last year.
(With agency inputs)
