"Smash the patriarchy only a gimmick?": BJP slams Congress over JNU professor charges
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj questions Congress's silence regarding sexual harassment allegations against MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam.
In a blistering attack on the Congress party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bansuri Swaraj has questioned the opposition's commitment to women's rights. Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters, Swaraj targeted the Congress leadership for their perceived silence regarding serious sexual harassment allegations involving Congress Lok Sabha MP and former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam.
"Bone-chilling" allegations against Congress MP
Swaraj described the nature of the accusations surfaced in media reports as "bone-chilling" and stated they were enough to shake one's soul. The BJP lawmaker detailed several grave claims made against the former JNU professor, who is now a Member of Parliament representing the Congress.
According to the allegations highlighted by Swaraj, the MP allegedly:
- Asked sexually inappropriate questions to female students during academic assessments.
- Engaged in unwelcome physical contact with female students while at JNU.
- Conducted academic assessments unethically at his private residence.
- Called female students to his home late at night, with one instance of a viva examination reportedly lasting until 11:40 PM.
- Displayed sexually explicit conduct within the classroom setting.
"All of these are extremely serious and grave allegations," Swaraj emphasized during her address.
Questioning the "Smash the Patriarchy" slogan
The BJP MP directed a scathing critique toward the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, questioning whether the Congress party's ideological stances are merely performative. She specifically challenged the party's frequent use of feminist rhetoric.
"I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party: what is the matter? Is 'Smash the patriarchy' merely and exclusively political rhetoric for you—just a political gimmick?" Swaraj asked. She further accused the party of selective activism, stating that for the Congress, "feminism merely begins with a hashtag and ends right at the threshold of accountability."
A challenge to the Congress leadership
Swaraj expressed astonishment at the collective silence of the Congress high command. She noted that while the allegations reportedly surfaced as early as May, the top tier of the party has failed to respond. She specifically named several key leaders who, in her view, have remained silent on the matter:
- Rahul Gandhi
- Mallikarjun Kharge
- Priyanka Gandhi
- Sonia Gandhi
Concluding her attack, Swaraj issued a direct challenge to the opposition leader to prove his commitment to the cause of women's safety. "I challenge Rahul Gandhi: if you truly wish to 'smash the patriarchy', then stand with these 11 female students and take action against Angomcha Bimol Akoijam," she declared.