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This is an archive article published on April 22, 2023

Congress expels Assam YC chief after her ‘sexism’ charge against Srinivas; police file case

Last week, Angkita Dutta — daughter of veteran Congressman late Anjan Dutta — had accused the party’s national youth Congress president Srinivas B V of “sexism” and “harassment”.

Angkita DuttaAngkita Dutta had filed a complaint at the Dispur police station, accusing Srinivas of being “sexist, chauvinistic and outraging a woman’s modesty”. (Facebook/Angkita Dutta)
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Congress expels Assam YC chief after her ‘sexism’ charge against Srinivas; police file case
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The Congress on Saturday expelled Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta from the party’s primary membership for purported “anti-party activities”, days after she accused Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president B V Srinivas of “sexism” and “harassment”, even as Assam Police registered a case against Srinivas.

Assam DGP G P Singh told The Sunday Express that “a case had been registered”, and an inquiry instituted on the instructions of the National Commission for Women (NCW).

Asked about a report that an Assam Police team was sent to Karnataka on Saturday, where Srinivas is currently campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections, Singh said, “We would take all measures required for investigation.”

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Reporting about the case registered against Srinivas, news agency ANI tweeted on Saturday evening that a “4-5 members police team left for Karnataka”.

While Dutta was unavailable for a comment, on Saturday, part of her Twitter bio, which earlier read “President @IYC Assam”, was changed to “Pratarit Mahila Addhyaksh@ IYC Assam” — or “harassed woman president”.

Dutta had first raised the allegations on Twitter and later filed a police complaint. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee responded by slapping a showcause notice on her the same day.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Debabrata Saikia of the Congress, said Dutta had “crossed the limit”. “The Assam Congress president had told her that she would be taken to the high command to address her grievances just after the Karnataka elections since everyone is busy now. Despite that, she did not heed his advice and filed a police complaint and went to the CID,” Saikia said.

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He said there was “no proof” of the allegations Dutta made against Srinivas. “She was given a chance to explain her conduct through the showcause notice but her response was unsatisfactory,” he said.

The BJP has hit out at the Congress following Dutta’s expulsion. The party’s IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted: “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.”

Both Dutta and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have scotched rumours that Dutta, daughter of late Congress leader Anjan Dutta, may join the BJP.

Dutta had tweeted on Friday, “Honestly I am aware this could lead to an end of my political career. If this is the price I have to pay, so be it. About me meeting some BJP leader, one is welcome to check CCTV footage of home and office where you will probably see me reading trolls my colleagues are spreading.”

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On Saturday, Chief Minister Sarma said Dutta had “no relationship” with the BJP, and it is unlikely she would in the near future.

“The Congress should have internally solved this issue,” Sarma said. “When a woman makes such an allegation, it calls for an investigation at least. But instead of doing that, they (Congress) expelled her — that means they did not want to internally solve the issue.”

Sarma said was waiting for a few days for the party to resolve it. “Since it has not, now the police will register the case. Law will take its own course,” he said.

Dutta had filed a complaint at Dispur police station, accusing Srinivas of being “sexist, chauvinistic and outraging a woman’s modesty”. Following that, she was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police for her statement. The NCW wrote to the state police for necessary action, after it took suo motu cognizance of Dutta’s allegations.

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