|
Imphal, Oct 12
Inner Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has accused the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration of targeting him in a politically motivated campaign following reports of his termination from the university amid sexual harassment allegations. He has denied the allegations and alleged that the proceedings are intended to silence his criticism of the Manipur crisis.
The controversy follows a complaint filed against Akoijam by JNU’s Chief Security Officer and proceedings initiated by the university’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act.
Speaking to reporters, Akoijam accused JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit of running a smear campaign against him. He rejected claims that he had failed to cooperate with the inquiry, citing his written response submitted on May 31, his physical deposition before the ICC on July 16, and depositions submitted by his defence witnesses on August 14.
“She is lying one after another. She claims I didn’t produce witnesses, whereas my witnesses gave their depositions on August 14. She claims I didn’t cooperate, forgetting that I submitted written responses and appeared physically in July,” Akoijam said.
He dismissed claims that he had ignored hundreds of emails as “manufactured fabrications” and criticised the functioning of the university’s investigative mechanism.
Akoijam alleged that institutions such as the ICC had been “reduced to a Khap Panchayat” under the current administrative pressure. The MP linked the action against him to his criticism of the handling of the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur. He alleged that his interventions as an elected representative had made him a target.
“They chose a soft target—an MP from Mani- pur—because they wanted to silence Manipur. They put the crisis under the carpet from the beginning, and I broke that silence,” Akoi-jam said.
“You pin me down, and there will be more Bimols rising from this State. You put me in jail, do anything, but the people’s voice will never be shut down,” he added. Akoijam also rejected allegations by political opponents that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was shielding him. He accused his critics of bringing Gandhi into the controversy to divert attention from wider National and regional concerns.
The MP warned that using administrative bodies and institutional proceedings for political purposes could alienate people in border States. He urged the public to remain focused on Constitutional values.
The developments have brought renewed attention to the proceedings against Akoijam at JNU, with the MP maintaining that he participated in the inquiry and alleging that the action against him is politically motivated. Hub Network