New Delhi, 11 October (H.S.):

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Mahila Morcha will organise a protest march on Monday, October 12, under the banner of the ‘Nari Shakti Hunkar Andolan’, accusing the Congress of extending political protection to Congress MP Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam in connection with allegations of sexual harassment involving 11 female students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The BJP Mahila Morcha has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party’s leadership of maintaining silence over the matter and shielding the MP facing the allegations.

According to the BJP, the protest march will begin at 11 am from Andhra Education Society School on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg and proceed to the Congress headquarters, ‘Indira Bhawan’. A demonstration will subsequently be held outside the party office. The march will be led by BJP Mahila Morcha national president Roop Kumari Choudhary and the organisation’s in-charge, Daggubati Purandeswari. Women MPs, MLAs and councillors from the BJP, along with workers of the Delhi Pradesh Mahila Morcha, are also expected to participate.

The BJP Mahila Morcha claimed that on October 9, an internal committee at JNU upheld allegations relating to offers of sex in exchange for marks and harassment, and that dismissal proceedings were initiated against the Congress MP concerned. The organisation said the Congress leadership’s silence on such a serious case involving 11 female students raised several questions.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the BJP Mahila Morcha said Congress leaders, who frequently speak about women’s rights and safety, must adopt a clear position on the allegations as well. The organisation questioned why Congress leaders who advocate women’s rights were not demanding action in response to the serious allegations against a member of their own party.

The BJP also accused the Congress of protecting leaders facing allegations in cases involving harassment of women. In its statement, the party referred to previous controversies involving allegations of gender discrimination and harassment within the Congress, alleging that the party leadership had repeatedly defended the individuals concerned instead of taking appropriate action. The BJP also cited the cases involving Ankita Datta and former Rajasthan Congress MLA Mewaram Jain.

The BJP Mahila Morcha said the ‘Nari Shakti Hunkar Andolan’ would highlight issues concerning women’s dignity, safety and rights. The organisation has demanded that Rahul Gandhi immediately expel the MP concerned from the Congress, ensure that he resigns from the Lok Sabha, and seek an apology from him to the 11 female students involved in the case.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar