Expelled Assam Congress leader Angkita Dutta sits in protest, demands 'nyay' from Rahul

Guwahati, Jan 18 (IANS) As senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Assam on Thursday, expelled party leader Angkita Dutta staged a protest in Sivasagar district’s Amguri town demanding "nyay", or justice.

Angkita, the daughter of former Assam Congress Minister Anjan Dutta, was expelled from the party after she brought serious allegations of harassment against the national youth Congress president Srinivas B.V. when she was the president of Assam youth Congress.

She had also lodged a police complaint against Srinivas and a case is being heard at the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, massive posters were seen hanging in Amguri showcasing pictures of Angkita Dutta and Rahul Gandhi during the first leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra that took place a year ago.

The posters read, “Nyay for Angkita” and “Are you tired of the injustice women face everyday?”

Speaking to reporters, she said: “I had sought justice from the Congress; however, I was expelled from the party. I have been in exile for the last 10 months but I worked in the Sivasagar district to strengthen the Congress party. The locals residing here were unaware about Rahul Gandhi’s yatra and I went to the households to let them know about the event.

"Despite being not in the party, I have been working for the Congress for the last 10 months. People have come with me and as Rahul Gandhi’s yatra will pass through Amguri, I hope that he will give me justice.

"My exile for 10 months will also end today."

The expelled leader also refuted claims of working on the behest of the BJP to malign the image of the Congress party.

“I have not joined the BJP. It was a section of Congress leaders who tried to send me to the saffron camp.”

Angkita Dutta fought on a Congress ticket twice from her family bastion of Amguri, but she lost to the Asom Gana Parishad candidate.

In her police complaint, she claimed that Srinivas had been persistently harassing and torturing her by making sexist comments, using slang words, and also threatening her of dire consequences if she keeps complaining against him to the senior party office bearers.

The complaint was lodged on April 19, 2023 at the Dispur police station.

She further stated in her complaint that the accused harassed her, grabbed her arm, shoved her, used vulgar terms, and threatened to damage her career in the party if she reported about him during the Congress party’s plenary meeting in Raipur.

In accordance with the IT Act and various IPC sections pertaining to harassment of women, the police had filed an FIR.