JNU Protest: ABVP demands action against Angomcha Bimol Akoijam over sexual harassment allegations

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Wednesday staged a protest at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here, demanding the immediate arrest of Congress MP and former university professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam over allegations of sexual harassment. The ABVP's JNU unit also demanded an impartial investigation into the case and alleged that the Congress was maintaining silence on the issue despite its stated commitment to women's safety and rights. The protesters gathered at the main gate of the university and burnt an effigy of Akoijam.

The demonstration comes after the university dismissed Akoijam from his position as a professor following an inquiry by its internal committee into complaints by women students. An FIR has also been registered in the matter, the student organisation said. ABVP JNU unit president Mayank Panchal said police should ensure the accused's immediate arrest and that no political influence should obstruct the investigation.

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"Women's safety must not remain confined to slogans and speeches," Panchal said, accusing the Congress of applying different standards on women's safety depending on political considerations. ABVP JNU unit secretary Praveen Kumar Piyush said the organisation had consistently raised issues concerning the safety of women students on campus. He demanded accountability in cases involving public representatives and called for further legal action in accordance with the law. The ABVP said the safety and dignity of women students should take precedence over the image of any political party.