Guwahati: The Congress on Thursday (May 1) filed police complaints against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his alleged derogatory remarks against women during the recent panchayat poll campaign.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) lodged several complaints at district headquarters across the state in a protest against CM Sarma’s statement made on April 28.
The police are, however, yet to register the FIRs and said they are investigating the complaints.
Sarma, during panchayat election rallies, had mentioned a witness’ statement from the report of the Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission on irregularities in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) examinations for 2013 and 2014, when the Congress was in power.
He had said the witness’ statement maintained that women “had to adopt a wrong path” to get jobs during the Congress regime.
“District Congress presidents and other leaders filed complaints at their local police stations, condemning the chief minister for making comments that allegedly malign the character of Assamese women,” party spokesperson Monalisa Baruah Hazarika said.
The Congress demanded legal action under relevant provisions of the BNS and called for an investigation into the CM’s statements, she added.
District Congress committee president, Gopal C Sarma, emphasised that such statements were insulting and inappropriate.
He said unfounded comments from the state’s highest official were unacceptable and indicated poor standards in public discourse.
“Such a statement has caused immense hurt to the sentiments of the women community of our state and has shown complete disrespect towards the entire women community in the state, which is punishable under law,” he stated in the complaint.
Sharma also asserted that during the time of those appointments, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma himself had held influential positions in Tarun Gogoi’s cabinet.
“If there were any irregularity, the current chief minister should also be held accountable,” he added.
On Wednesday, Congress protesters in Guwahati burnt the CM’s effigy and submitted a letter to the National Commission for Women seeking action against the BJP leader.
APCC women’s cell president, Mira Borthakur Goswami, said: “It is a direct insult to all women of the state. Such a statement is not acceptable.” She added that Sarma served 15 years in the Congress government and questioned his silence during that period.
