Assam Youth Congress Chief Angkita Dutta Expelled; BJP Says 'Uninspiring'

Assam Youth Congress leader Dutta, in a series of Tweets on Tuesday, had accused IYC president Srinivas B V of being a 'sexist and chauvinistic' person who harassed her and discriminated based on gender.

Congress on Saturday expelled the Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta from the party for six years for 'anti-party activities'. The move comes days after she alleged harassment by Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Srinivas BV and his IYC secretary in-charge Vardhan Yadav for the past 6 months. Srinivas had refuted the allegations while sending a legal notice to Dutta over the issue. "Congress president has expelled Dr Angkita Dutta, president, Assam Pradesh Youth Congress, from the primary membership of the party, for six years for her anti-party activities with immediate effect," Tariq Anwar, member-secretary of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the Congress, said in an order.

Show-Cause Notice To Angkita Dutta

Angkita Dutta was earlier issued a show-cause notice by the party for going public with the allegations. On Friday, Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said that Dutta submitted her reply to the show-cause notice to the party. Borah added that her reply was forwarded to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for necessary action. 

What Is The Matter?

Assam Youth Congress leader Dutta, in a series of Tweets on Tuesday, had accused IYC president Srinivas B V of being a 'sexist and chauvinistic' person who harassed her and discriminated based on gender. Dutta also alleged that she had earlier informed the matter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but no action was initiated in the matter. She also filed a complaint at the Dispur police station on Wednesday, alleging Srinivas was 'harassing and torturing her for the last six months by making sexist comments, using slang words and also threatening her with dire consequences if she keeps complaining against him to the senior party office bearers'.

Levelling serious allegations, Angkita Dutta also alleged that during the Congress party's plenary session at Raipur in February, Srinivas heckled her and threatened to ruin her political career. Meanwhile, Dutta on Friday was called to the CID office here, reportedly in connection with the complaint she had lodged against Srinivas at Dispur police station.

Srinivas Demands Apology

Srinivas had issued a notice to Dutta over the issue, demanding an apology for her statements failing which he will initiate legal proceedings. "Whoever is found indulged in propagating/peddling false & defamatory content will be held liable under the relevant laws & will be held accountable for their acts. 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," said Srinivas in a tweet while sharing the notice to Dutta.

Assam CM Says Police May Intervene

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday warned that police would intervene in the matter if the Congress party failed to solve it. "The way Assam Congress is dealing with the whole situation is very unfortunate. They need to solve the problem. I still believe that it is the Congress party`s internal matter....However, if they cannot find a proper solution to it, police will take action as per law. The National Commission of Women has already written to Assam DGP on this issue," he said.

BJP Slams 'Congress' Model Of Empowerment'

Reacting to the expulsion of Angkita Dutta, BJP leader Amit Malviya said that the incident is uninspiring for women. "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," he said.

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 National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of Dutta's allegations and written to the state police for necessary action.