Full Breakdown
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Women MPs Seek Action on JNU Sexual-Harassment Case Involving Congress MP
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Congress Lok Sabha MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, also a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), was dismissed from the university on October 9, 2026 after an internal committee found the sexual-harassment complaints of eleven female students substantiated. The Delhi Police registered a First Information Report on October 11, 2026 under Sections 75, 75(1)(i), 75(1)(iv) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, charging Akoijam with sexual harassment and insulting a woman’s modesty. In response, the BJP Mahila Morcha organised nationwide protests and a delegation of women MPs is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu on October 13, 2026 to request Akoijam’s removal from Parliament.
Background & Context
The complaints were filed in May 2026 by eleven female students of JNU’s Centre for the Study of Social Systems. The university’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), constituted under the POSH Act, investigated the claims, which included invitations to the professor’s residence, unwelcome proximity and sexually suggestive questioning. The ICC’s report recommended “major punishment,” leading to the dismissal order signed by Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit.
Data & Statistics
- Complainants: 11 female students (May 2026)
- Dismissal date: October 9, 2026
- FIR registration date: October 11, 2026
- Legal sections invoked: BNS Sections 75, 75(1)(i), 75(1)(iv), 79
- Protest dates: October 10 (Lucknow), October 12 (Delhi, Bengaluru)
Official Statements & Responses
- BJP leadership: National Secretary Smriti Irani questioned Rahul Gandhi’s silence and demanded action.
- JNU administration: The dismissal order said the university “followed due process” based on the ICC report.
- Delhi Police: Confirmed the FIR was filed on a complaint by JNU’s chief security officer and that investigation is underway.
- Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh: Asked Akoijam to resign, citing loss of moral authority.
- Angomcha Bimol Akoijam: Denied the allegations, called the dismissal a “witch hunt,” and said he had not received the ICC report or dismissal order. He announced plans to challenge the decision in court.
Criticism & Opposition
- BJP Mahila Morcha: Accused the Congress party of “shielding” Akoijam and highlighted the gap between its “smash the patriarchy” slogan and inaction.
- Manipur former chief minister N Biren Singh: Criticised Congress leadership for protecting a lawmaker facing “serious sexual allegations.”
On-the-Ground Reports
BJP Mahila Morcha workers staged protests outside Congress headquarters in Delhi, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Hyderabad, burning effigies of Akoijam and Rahul Gandhi. In Delhi, police detained several protesters near Laxmi Nagar Metro Station. Participants carried placards reading “#SexForMarks” and chanted slogans demanding accountability.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA): Described the dismissal as “hasty” and questioned whether the university’s Executive Council had approved the action.
- Akoijam’s claim: Asserts he never received the ICC’s findings or the dismissal order, arguing the university violated confidentiality provisions of the POSH Act.
- Media reports: Some outlets said the ICC found “sex for marks” allegations, while Akoijam contends that language does not appear in the complaint. Independent verification of the ICC report’s contents is not publicly available.
What’s Next
A delegation of BJP women MPs will meet President Droupadi Murmu on October 13, 2026 to press for Akoijam’s removal from Parliament. Akoijam has announced he will pursue legal remedies against the dismissal and the FIR. The Delhi Police investigation remains ongoing, and JNUTA may seek a review of the university’s disciplinary process.