Angkita Dutta replies to show-cause notice over allegations against Srinivas B V

Guwahati: Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said the state’s youth wing president Angkita Dutta has submitted her reply to the show-cause notice for going public with allegations of harassment and gender discrimination against the Indian Youth Congress president without first informing the party leadership.

The reply has been forwarded to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for necessary action, he said on Friday.

Dutta, in a series of Tweets on Tuesday, had alleged that IYC president Srinivas B V was a “sexist and chauvinistic” person, who has been harassing her and discriminating based on gender.

Dutta had also claimed that she had informed the matter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but no enquiry was ordered.

She filed a complaint at the Dispur police station here on Wednesday, alleging Srinivas was “harassing and torturing her for the last six months by making sexist comments, using slang words and also threatening her with dire consequences if she keeps complaining against him to the senior party office bearers”.

She also alleged that during the party’s plenary session at Raipur in February, the accused had heckled her and threatened to ruin her political career.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Borah on Thursday served a show-cause notice to Dutta on why she had gone public with her allegations without first informing the party leadership, giving her 24 hours to respond.

"She has submitted her reply and it has been forwarded to the AICC," Borah said.

He refuted speculations that Dutta was suspended from the party.

Meanwhile, Dutta on Friday was called to the CID office here, reportedly in connection with the complaint she had lodged against Srinivas at Dispur police station.

Srinivas had issued a notice to Dutta within hours of her tweets, demanding an apology for her statements failing which he will initiate legal proceedings.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of Dutta’s allegations and written to the state police for necessary action.