Assam Congress Likely To Suspend Woman Who Accused Leader Of Harassment: Sources

Guwahati:

The Assam Congress is likely to suspend its former youth wing chief Angkita Dutta, who has accused the Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas BV of harassment and discrimination, sources said on Friday.

According to sources, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has found Ms Dutta’s allegations “baseless and politically motivated” and has decided to take disciplinary action against her for tarnishing the image of the party and its leaders.

Ms Dutta, who had filed a complaint against Mr Srinivas at Dispur police station on Wednesday, was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police on Thursday over the case.

Sources said that the CID is likely to register a First Information Report or FIR against Mr Srinivas based on Ms Dutta’s complaint and will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

Ms Dutta had alleged that Mr Srinivas and another IYC leader, Vardhan Yadav, had discriminated against her based on her gender and had used foul language to threaten her.

She had also claimed that she had informed the party leadership, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, about the issue but no action was taken.

Mr Srinivas, who is currently campaigning for the Congress in Karnataka ahead of the assembly elections next month, had denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit against Ms Dutta for using “unparliamentary and defamatory” words against him.

The Assam Congress had issued a show-cause notice to Ms Dutta on Thursday, and asked her to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against her within 24 hours.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had termed the issue an “internal matter” of the Congress party.

“She has complained to Rahul Gandhi, not me. If I act, then they will question why I am concerned about Congress’s internal matter,” he said, before Ms Dutta filed a police complaint.