Harassment complaint filed against Youth Congress’s chief
Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation last year questioned Angkita Dutta, the complainant, over her alleged involvement in the Saradha chit fund scam
The chief of Youth Congress’s Assam unit has filed a police complaint against the organisation’s national president Srinivas BV accusing him of being “sexist, chauvinistic and outraging a woman’s modesty”.
Angkita Dutta filed the complaint at Assam’s Dispur police station on Wednesday. She alleged Srinivas BV has been mentally harassing her for six months by making sexist comments, using slang words, and threatening her with consequences if she complained against him to top Congress leaders.
Dutta accused Srinivas BV of physically harassing her and using abusive words during the Congress’s plenary session in Chattisgarh on March 25.
“He heckled me holding my arm, pushing and pulling and threatening me using slang words, saying he will ruin my career in the Congress if I complained against him to the high office bearers of the party,” said Dutta’s complaint, a copy of which HT has seen.
She said Congress took no action against him despite her repeated complaints. Dutta has asked the police to register a case. Police said they were looking into the allegations.
The Congress’s Assam unit on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Dutta asking her to explain her conduct despite assurances from party leadership that her grievances would be addressed.
“Dutta has said she has been facing harassment for six months, but she informed Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah about it only two days ago,” said Congress leader Debabrata Saikia.
He added the timing of the allegations could be related to the May 10 assembly polls in Srinivas BV’s home state of Karnataka. Saikia said the police complaint may have been lodged at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s behest.
On Wednesday, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma refused to comment saying it was Congress’s internal matter. He added an investigation will be held if Dutta filed a police complaint.
Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation last year questioned Dutta, whose father late Anjan Dutta was a minister in Assam when Congress ruled the state, over her alleged involvement in the Saradha chit fund scam.