BJP Escalates Attack: Burns Rahul Gandhi’s Effigy Nationwide, Women MPs Meet President Murmu Over JNU Row
SUNIL NEGI
New Delhi: The political row over Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam’s dismissal from JNU intensified on Tuesday, with BJP Mahila Morcha workers burning effigies of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi across the country and a delegation of BJP women MPs meeting President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan seeking her intervention.
According to latest inputs, the delegation met the President at 1:30 PM today at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The delegation was led by BJP MP D. Purandeswari and included Mahila Morcha National President Roop Kumari Choudhary, Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj, Lok Sabha MPs Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Malvika Devi, Rajya Sabha MPs S. Phangnon Konyak, Geeta Shakya and former NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma.
The MPs submitted a memorandum demanding suspension of Akoijam from Lok Sabha* and protection for the complainants.
Speaking to ANI after the meeting, Bansuri Swaraj said, “Yesterday, BJP’s women workers were holding a very peaceful demonstration outside the Congress headquarters, but ‘Smash the Patriarchy’ is a very hollow slogan for Congress. The echo of the 11 JNU women students doesn’t seem to be reaching Rahul Gandhi’s ears, but we will ensure they get justice.”
Mahila Morcha President Roop Kumari Choudhary said the President has assured that she will have the matter investigated and appropriate action taken. She said 11 young women had filed a written complaint against Akoijam and the JNU internal committee found him guilty, leading to his dismissal.
“The young women who filed the complaint are living in fear. We have requested the President to ensure their full protection and safety and that the person who continues to be an MP be dismissed from the House,” Choudhary said.
The meeting came a day after BJP’s women wing staged protests under the banner of ‘Nari Shakti Hunkar Andolan’ outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi and in several states.
-In Delhi: Workers led by Roop Kumari Choudhary and D Purandeswari marched from Andhra Education Society School on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg towards Congress office, burning effigies of Rahul Gandhi and Akoijam. Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi also participated.
– In Jammu: Hundreds of activists led by J&K BJP President Sat Sharma tried to gherao the Congress office on Residency Road, burnt Rahul Gandhi’s effigy and demanded his resignation.
– In Srinagar, Bhubaneswar, Jamshedpur: Similar protests were held in Pratap Park Srinagar, near Congress Bhavan in Bhubaneswar led by Mahila Morcha President Aishwarya Biswal, and at Jubilee Park roundabout in Jamshedpur where MLA Purnima Sahu participated.
BJP has accused Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi of maintaining silence over the issue despite their claims on women’s empowerment. Akoijam, MP from Inner Manipur, was a professor at Centre for the Study of Social Systems, JNU School of Social Sciences. He was dismissed on October 9 after an internal inquiry found complaints by 11 female students to be true. An FIR has been registered against him.
Akoijam has denied the charges and challenged complainants to produce evidence.
