A political war of words erupted after Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, in a presser, denied the harassment allegations against Srinivas BV, calling it the 'antics' of Assam CM Himanta Sarma.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday claimed that he was being ‘unfairly blamed’ amid an ongoing investigation into the harassment case lodged by the state’s former Congress youth wing chief Angkita Dutta against Indian Youth Congress national president Srinivas BV.
Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Sarma had become “infamous for his antics to stay in news”. He also dismissed the allegations against Srinivas, calling it “propaganda” by Sarma to outbid Union home minister Amit Shah at the Centre.
“The turncoat CM of Assam who is trying to outbid Amit Shah to his post has now become infamous for his antics to stay in news...We reject this propaganda completely. Sometimes he wants to arrest Pawan Khera, sometimes he wants to arrest Srinivas BV,” Surjewala said at a briefing.
This resulted in a political war of words between the grand old party and the BJP government in Assam, causing the CM to respond.
“The Assam police is acting in accordance with the law. They are currently investigating a case filed by a female Congress worker against the accused person under Section 354 of IPC,” Sarma tweeted.
“It is unfair to blame me for the lack of a safe environment within the Congress party for female workers. Please advise the accused to cooperate with the legal process.”
A team of Assam Police left for Karnataka last evening to probe the claims against Srinivas after registering a harassment case against him based on Dutta’s complaint on the same. Earlier, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) expelled Dutta from the primary membership for six years over “anti-party activities”.
Dutta had submitted her reply to the show-cause notice for going public with allegations of harassment and gender discrimination against the IYC president, a step Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said she took without informing the party leadership.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has also taken suo motu cognisance of Dutta’s allegations and written to the state police for necessary action.