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Smriti Irani criticised Rahul Gandhi over his silence after JNU terminated Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam following a sexual harassment inquiry.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Smriti Irani (Credits: PTI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Smriti Irani on Friday launched a scathing attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of remaining silent over the sexual harassment allegations against a JNU professor.
Her remarks came hours after Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) terminated Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam with immediate effect following an internal inquiry into sexual harassment complaints filed by 11 female students. Akoijam is also a Congress Lok Sabha MP from Inner Manipur.
Taking a swipe at Gandhi, Irani referred to his recent comments on fighting patriarchy and questioned his silence over the allegations against Akoijam.
“The same gentleman, referring to Rahul Gandhi, recently spoke about smashing the patriarchy. Ironically, he is extremely silent on allegations by female students against a professor who was allegedly sexually harassing them for marks,” Irani said.
She further said media reports had indicated that an internal committee of the university had conducted an inquiry into the allegations and that Akoijam had subsequently been dismissed.
VIDEO | Delhi: BJP National General Secretary Smriti Irani on allegations of sexual harassment at JNU, says, “The same gentleman (referring to Rahul Gandhi) recently spoke about smashing the patriarchy. Ironically, he is extremely silent on allegations by female students against a professor who was allegedly sexually harassing them for marks. Media reports have led us to believe that an internal committee within the university conducted an inquiry as per law, and Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has been found guilty of the allegations of sexual harassment. What is deafening is the silence of the former Congress national president.”She adds, “People who have recently seen videos of the former Congress national president physically manhandling a female police officer should not be surprised by the selective posturing of the Congress leadership. Democracy has responded to the mob. It is our legal framework, not the Gandhi family, that upholds the safety and rights of Indian women. Once again, the deafening silence of the former Congress national president is nothing more than a certification of the same.”
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 9, 2026
‘What Is Deafening Is Silence’
Irani questioned what she described as the silence of the Congress leadership following the university’s action.
“What is deafening is the silence of the former Congress national president,” she said.
She also referred to recent videos involving Gandhi and alleged that Congress leaders had previously criticised the handling of a woman police officer by the former Congress president.
“People who have recently seen videos of the former Congress national president physically manhandling a female police officer should not be surprised by the selective posturing of the Congress leadership,” Irani said.
JNU’s October 9 order said the university’s Internal Committee had conducted an inquiry into the allegations and recommended major punishment. The university subsequently imposed dismissal from service with immediate effect.
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October 09, 2026, 17:44 IST
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