BJP women MPs to meet Om Birla over sexual misconduct allegations against Congress MP Bimol Akoijam

A delegation of women lawmakers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday to register a complaint against Congress MP Bimol Akoijam over allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The delegation will be led by BJP Mahila Morcha president and MP Rupa Kumari Choudhary, along with Mahila Morcha in-charge and MP D Purandeswari. The move comes amid mounting political pressure on Akoijam following his dismissal from JNU, where he served as a professor, and a police case registered against him over allegations of sexual harassment.

The BJP has been demanding action against the Manipur MP and has urged the Congress to remove him from the party.

BJP delegation follows up complaint against Congress MP

The planned meeting with Birla comes two days after BJP MPs approached President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, seeking action against Akoijam over the allegations.

The BJP has called on the Congress to take disciplinary action against the lawmaker, intensifying its demands following JNU's decision to terminate his employment with immediate effect last week.

Akoijam has denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and alleging that a proper investigation was not conducted.

JNU inquiry finds Akoijam guilty of sexual misconduct

JNU dismissed Akoijam from his position as a professor after its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), functioning under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, found him guilty of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct. The university said the action followed complaints lodged by 11 female students.

According to the allegations, the students accused Akoijam of inviting female students to his campus residence under the pretext of academic meetings that continued late into the night. The complaints also allegedly refer to non-consensual physical proximity and inappropriate comments.

Akoijam has rejected the allegations and questioned the process followed by the university, maintaining that the matter was not properly investigated.

Delhi Police registers case, teachers' association criticises termination

The Delhi Police has registered a case against the Congress MP on charges of sexual harassment following a complaint lodged by JNU's chief security officer on October 11.

The university's action has also drawn criticism from the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA), which issued a statement on Sunday describing the termination as “hasty”.

The allegations and the university's findings have triggered a political controversy, with the BJP seeking action against Akoijam both in Parliament and within the Congress. The MP, however, has denied wrongdoing and maintained that the allegations are part of a political vendetta.