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Mr. Srinivas denied the allegations and filed a defamation action against the plaintiff. Confronting Congress over a sexual harassment complaint against the president of the youth wing, Assam's Prime Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today it was unfair to blame him for "the lack of a 'safe environment' within the congress party for women workers." Sarma was responding to the accusation by top Congress leader Randeep Surjewala that the police action was the "mischief" of the Assam prime minister to stay in the news. "Assam Police are acting within the law. They are currently investigating a case brought by a female congresswoman against the defendant under ICC Section 354. It is unfair to blame me for the lack of a safe environment within the Congress party of working women. Please advise the defendant to cooperate with the judicial process,” Mr. Sarma tweeted.
The Assam Police act in accordance with the law. They are currently investigating a case brought by a congresswoman against the defendant under Section 354 of the IPC. It is unfair to blame me for the lack of a safe environment within the Women's Congress party... https://t.co/ebVgqWQZRW pic.twitter.com/bK7HeEOAAd
Assam Police arrived in Karnataka today to notify the National Chairman of the Indian Youth Congress, BV Srinivas, ordering him to report to the Dispur Police Station in Guwahati at 11am on 2 May. Police are searching for BV Srinivas at his uncle's residence, where he used to stay when he was in the city since he left his permanent residence two years ago.
On Saturday, the Congress suspended its former leader of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress, who accused Srinivas BV of sexual harassment and discrimination. She was expelled for six years for "anti-partisan" activities.
Taunting Sarma with a 'defector' taunt, Surjewala said he was trying to outdo Amit Shah in his post 'and became 'infamous' for keeping the antics in the news.
"We totally reject this propaganda. Sometimes he wants to arrest Pawan Khera, sometimes he wants to arrest BV Srinivas. Maybe it was to save the ignominy that Mr. Modi tried to arrest him once for Saradha Scam and Louis Berger Scam. It is because of that he defected to the BJP. Refuse him, pay no attention to him," Randeep Surjewala said in the notice taped to the door of Srinivas' residence in Bangalore.
The major party's Assam unit reportedly found the woman's allegations "baseless and politically motivated" and took disciplinary action against her for tarnishing the image of the party and its leaders.
The woman had filed a complaint against Mr. Srinivas at the Dispur Police Station on Wednesday and was summoned by the Assam Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday. He accused the leader of Congress of being "macho and macho". The National Commission for Women (NCW) had also asked the Assam police to investigate the charges. She claimed that Mr. Srinivas and another IYC leader, Vardhan Yadav, discriminated against her based on her gender and used obscene language to threaten her.
Mr. Srinivas, who is currently campaigning for Congress in Karnataka ahead of parliamentary elections next month, denied the allegations and filed a libel action against the claimant for using "defamatory and anti-parliamentary" language against him.
