COCOMI Women’s Wing convenor Wahengbam Luwangleima has urged a fair legal process into allegations against MP Bimol Akoijam and called on the BJP to avoid protests before guilt is established.
Imphal, Oct. 16: The Women’s Wing of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has called for a fair legal process into the sexual harassment allegations against Inner Manipur MP Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, urging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to refrain from demanding his resignation or holding protests before his guilt is established.
Speaking to the media at the COCOMI office in Lamphelpat on Thursday, the organisation’s Women’s Wing convenor, Wahengbam Luwangleima, said the allegations against Bimol were surprising and difficult for her to believe. She suggested that the case could be a calculated attempt to put the Congress MP in a position similar to that faced by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Luwangleima criticised BJP leaders, including Manipur BJP president and MP A. Sharda Devi, for demanding Bimol’s resignation, organising rallies and protesting outside the Congress office before the allegations had been fully examined.
She said COCOMI did not view Bimol merely through his affiliation with the Congress, describing him instead as a representative of the people of Manipur. She added that if he were found guilty following a fair legal process, he should face punishment in accordance with the law.
However, she urged the BJP to allow the investigation and legal proceedings to establish the facts rather than engage in political demonstrations. She warned that if the allegations proved false, public opinion could turn against those whom she accused of attempting to frame him.
Luwangleima traced the controversy to a news report broadcast on September 17 by Republic World TV, whose editor-in-chief is Arnab Goswami. According to her account, the report said a complaint had been submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) authorities alleging that Bimol had sexually harassed 11 students.
She said the allegations had shocked her, particularly because Bimol is a 60-year-old academic. She also questioned the repeated coverage of the matter by the television channel and the subsequent street protests by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student organisation associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
According to Luwangleima, the sequence of media coverage and protests raised questions about the manner in which the allegations were being handled. She also alleged that the controversy was being used to target Bimol politically. These were her claims and interpretations of the events.
She said the public initially waited for Bimol to respond to the allegations. According to her, the absence of a response for 56 days led some people to believe that the reports might be true. She said Bimol began presenting his side of the matter on October 9.
Luwangleima further referred to a document bearing the signature of JNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit that circulated on social media on the night of October 9. She said the document indicated that Bimol had been removed from his position as a professor at the university.
She said Bimol had disputed the allegations and questioned whether the university’s action was consistent with its rules and regulations. COCOMI, she added, viewed the developments as a possible attempt to politically frame or silence him.
Reiterating the organisation’s position, Luwangleima said the allegations should be investigated and resolved through due legal process rather than public demonstrations and political pressure.
She maintained that the outcome should determine the next course of action: if Bimol were found guilty, he should face the consequences; if the allegations were not substantiated, those responsible for making or promoting false claims should be held accountable, she argued.
Her remarks come amid protests by BJP-linked groups demanding action against the MP and counter-statements from Congress leaders. Bimol has denied the allegations and said he is preparing to approach the court.
The allegations remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings. Neither the allegations nor the competing claims about the motives behind the case should be treated as established findings before the relevant process reaches its conclusions.
