Supporters rallied in Imphal on October 14 backing Congress MP Bimol Akoijam after his JNU dismissal, as he urged people to remain steadfast in the fight for Manipur.
Imphal, Oct. 15: A large number of people took to the streets of Imphal on Wednesday in support of Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, rejecting what they described as a politically motivated campaign against him following his dismissal from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) over sexual harassment complaints.
The protest began with a sit-in at Keishamthong Keithel, followed by a march towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office at Keishampat. Demonstrators carried placards expressing solidarity with the Inner Manipur MP and raised slogans against the BJP. Police stopped the protesters when they attempted to enter the party office, according to reports by The Sangai Express and The Times of India.
“If they do something to me and make me disappear, never back down in the fight for the motherland,” he appealed to the crowd.
The remarks came amid escalating political tensions over his dismissal from JNU and growing demands from the BJP for his resignation from the Lok Sabha.
In a sharp political attack, Akoijam vowed to uproot what he called the “diseased BJP” from Manipur. He framed the controversy as part of a wider political struggle and urged supporters not to allow the developments surrounding him to weaken their commitment to the state.
At the same time, the MP said political differences should not turn into personal hostility. He maintained that members of rival parties remained fellow Manipuris despite their political disagreements.
“Our party may be different, but not personally. I never wanted to talk about their character and morality. I respect them and have addressed many of them as ‘Tamo’,” he said.
However, Akoijam warned that his restraint should not be interpreted as weakness. He said he had refrained from making personal allegations against political opponents but would speak openly about their character and morality if they crossed what he considered acceptable limits.
His remarks came as supporters rallied around him following the BJP's demand for his resignation. The protest reflected a visible show of solidarity with the MP, although the demonstration itself does not establish the validity or otherwise of the allegations against him.
Placards carried by demonstrators included messages such as “People of Manipur are with Oja and truth”, “We Support Oja Bimol, We Stand with You”, “Don't Weaponise Institution for Political Vendetta” and “Truth Cannot Be Silenced”, according to The Sangai Express.
JNU dismissed Akoijam from university service on October 9 following an inquiry by its Internal Committee into sexual harassment complaints. Reports said 11 female students had filed complaints against the former professor, who was associated with the Centre for the Study of Social Systems under the university's School of Social Sciences. Akoijam has denied the allegations and challenged the procedure followed in the inquiry.
Akoijam has questioned the handling of the university inquiry and said he would pursue the matter through legal channels. The competing positions of the university, the MP and political parties have placed the controversy at the centre of a wider political confrontation in Manipur.
Wednesday's demonstration brought supporters onto the streets to oppose calls for the MP's resignation and express solidarity with his political position. The allegations and the university's findings remain central to the case, even as the dispute continues to fuel political mobilisation in the state.
