A large number of people gathered outside Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam’s residence at Keishamthong in Imphal West on Wednesday, protesting the sexual harassment allegations against him and describing them as politically motivated attempts to tarnish his reputation.
The protesters staged a sit-in outside the MP’s residence before taking out a rally to the BJP headquarters at Keishampat. They raised slogans rejecting the allegations and criticising the BJP, with several participants claiming that the charges were baseless.
One of the protesters, Jeniffer, said the allegations were unacceptable and asserted that the people of Manipur would continue to support the Congress MP. She maintained that the matter should be dealt with through the legal process and expressed confidence that the truth would eventually emerge.
“Since the beginning of the crisis in Manipur, Bimol has fearlessly raised his voice in Parliament and elsewhere to ensure that the truth comes out. Making such allegations against someone who has consistently spoken up for the people is an attempt to silence him,” she said.
Describing Akoijam as one of the most respected figures in Manipur, Jeniffer compared him to Hijam Irabot, a prominent figure in the state’s political and social history. She said the protesters would continue to stand by the MP.
The demonstrators also questioned the police response, alleging that they were treated differently from participants in a recent BJP-led protest demanding Akoijam’s resignation. They claimed that police personnel attempted to stop their rally despite it being a democratic form of protest, while the BJP demonstration had proceeded without similar obstruction.
Akoijam later came out of his residence and addressed the gathering.
The protest comes amid allegations of sexual harassment against Akoijam, a former professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for the Study of Social Systems under the School of Social Sciences. Reports said he was dismissed from service following complaints by at least 11 female students in May.
The complaints allegedly accused him of inviting students to his campus residence under the pretext of meetings or gatherings and attempting to sexually harass them. Some students also reportedly alleged that he made obscene and inappropriate remarks in class.
The reported dismissal order referred to the relevant service rules and Rule 11(ix) of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules. Akoijam has reportedly described his dismissal as a “witch hunt” and questioned whether the university followed due process.
The controversy has since become a political issue in Manipur. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has called on the Congress MP to resign, while Akoijam has challenged the circumstances of his dismissal and raised questions about the procedure followed by the university.
The protesters reiterated that the allegations should be addressed through the legal process and maintained their support for the MP. The allegations and the circumstances surrounding his dismissal remain contentious, with the legal and investigative processes expected to establish the facts.
