Delhi Police detained BJP Mahila Morcha workers during a protest march demanding the expulsion and arrest of Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam over sexual harassment allegations. JNU has already dismissed Akoijam from service.
Delhi Police on Saturday detained BJP Mahila Morcha workers and took them to Shakarpur Police Station after they began marching from Laxmi Nagar Metro Station towards the Congress headquarters, demanding the expulsion and arrest of Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, over allegations of sexual harassment of female students.
The protest was led by BJP Mahila Morcha National Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Sangeeta Yadav and Delhi BJP General Secretary Yogita Singh. Other leaders, including State Vice President Sarika Jain, Mahila Morcha President Archana Gupta and in-charge Aarti Mehra, also participated.
A large number of Mahila Morcha workers gathered near Laxmi Nagar Metro Station in East Delhi and raised slogans before marching towards the Congress headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. Police detained them after they had walked only a short distance.
BJP Demands MP's Arrest, Accuses Congress of Shielding Him
Addressing the protesters, Sangeeta Yadav demanded the immediate expulsion and arrest of Akoijam, alleging that the Congress was protecting a leader accused of sexually harassing female students. "Sisters, today we are standing here to defend the dignity of a daughter. At a prestigious educational institution like JNU, a person accused of sexually harassing female students under the guise of being a professor, and who is also a Congress MP, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, continues to move around freely," Yadav said.
"The slogan of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao will be meaningful only when those responsible are punished," she added.
Yogita Singh accused the Congress of failing to address allegations against its MP and demanded answers from the party. "A sitting MP is accused of sexually harassing female students at JNU, and the Congress is shielding him. The party should be ashamed," she said.
"We demand justice, not compromise," Singh added, warning that the Mahila Morcha would continue its protest.
Archana Gupta alleged that the Congress had double standards on women's empowerment and demanded that the MP be expelled from the party and arrested.
State Vice President Sarika Jain said the protesters were prepared to face arrest but would not withdraw their demand for action against Akoijam. "We are prepared to face arrest, but we will not retreat. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam must be arrested immediately," Jain said.
The protesters reiterated their demand for the Congress to expel the MP and called for action over the allegations against him.
JNU Dismisses Professor Akoijam
Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has dismissed Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam from service with immediate effect following an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment, according to an official order issued by the university on October 9. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)