00:00The JNU harassment trial is back in the headlines.
00:03This comes after the Congress party decided to induct Manipur MP Bimola Koyjam into key election committees.
00:09Despite the JNU controversy, a Koyjam has been given key organizational responsibilities,
00:14including a place on the Manipur Campaign Committee and the co-chairpersonship of the Manifesto Committee.
00:20The BJP has seized on the decision to accuse the Congress of double standards on women's safety,
00:25branding it an anti-women party.
00:27Targeting Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, the BJP has questioned the Congress' smash patriarchy
00:32and LADKI HUN LADSAKTI HUN slogans.
00:35It has also questioned Priyanka Gandhi Vardra's silence on the harassment allegations against a Koyjam.
01:09This is the JNU's campaign committee committee, which will be made, which will be made, which will be made.
01:30And in fact, on August 22, leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi gave a speech during the
01:36Chhatro Ki Goonj event in Pune, urging women to smash the patriarchy and assert their independence. Listen in.
02:15And my message to you, simple message, be loud, be proud and fight for your space in society.
02:29My colleague Amit Bhadwaj is now joining us on this story. Amit, a very good morning to you.
02:33So earlier there was complete silence from the Congress leadership on this matter involving Bimola Koyajam, but not just silence.
02:39Now they've gone a step further and they've in fact elevated Bimola Koyajam by giving these key responsibilities.
02:50Right, Anjali. Bimola Koyajam, the Banipur MP from the Congress party, has been given more responsibility by the Congress party
02:59ahead of the assembly elections in the state.
03:01Now, three important positions in the committees that have been formed ahead of the elections, which essentially means more responsibilities,
03:10you know, where you will be dealing with more people and you get sort of elevation within the state unit
03:17as well.
03:18So he is not only part of the different committees, but he will be also co-heading the campaign committee
03:25for the Congress party in the state of Manipur.
03:27So that is added responsibility and also places him at even more important position within the Pradesh Congress committee.
03:35Having said that, you know, you have a political attack coming from the Bharata Janta party saying that, look, this
03:43is a person, this particular MP of the Congress party is facing allegations of sexual harassment by students, not one,
03:48but multiple students.
03:50There's an FIR registered against him.
03:52And when Rahul Gandhi, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha says, smash the patriarchy and you elevate somebody facing
03:59sexual harassment allegations, how does the two fit on the same page?
04:03So that is the political attack coming from the Bharata Janta party.
04:07And they feel that this is the right opportunity to possibly also gear up the attack on Congress party through
04:14Bimal Okoyejam's issue.
04:16Because in the past as well, if you remember, Anjali, one month back, the BJP had led a long sustained
04:23campaign over this particular issue where the BJP MPs had gone to meet the NCW.
04:29You had a delegation going to meet the president over this particular issue and also a sort of protest happening
04:37outside Congress office.
04:39So they had tried to create a sustained campaign to put pressure on the Congress party on the issue of
04:44Bimal Okoyejam.
04:45But it seems that the Congress has decided the other way and elevated him as well.
04:50Back to you.
04:50All right, Amit, thank you for those details.
04:53So the politics is only intensifying between the Congress and the BJP over the elevation of Bimal Okoyejam with the
04:58BJP now questioning,
04:59is this smashing the patriarchy by Congress?
05:04And what about the slogan,
05:05when they clearly are promoting someone who has been accused of sexual harassment?
05:11when they are doing a fair assessment?
