Congress reinstates sexual harassment accused, awards him with secretary post for 3 states

The Congress party’s refurbished campaign of portraying itself as a pro-women party ahead of the 2022 assembly elections is under apprehensions as the party’s actions are not lining up with their words. Congress, who has been raising chants of ‘Ladki hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon,’ has come under the scanner after reinstating a party member who has been accused of sexual harassment.

Congress last week has reinstated Ranajit Mukherjee and made him the secretary of the three key states- Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim. 41-year-old Mukherjee was removed from his posts in the party earlier after being charged with the accusations of harassing a party worker and ‘predatory behaviour’ against another colleague.

However, despite portraying itself as a party working for the welfare of women, Congress hasn’t been able to satisfy the demands of their party workers as the victims of sexual harassment by Mukherjee have insisted on his ouster, while the party decided to reinstate him on the position of secretary. 

What was the Sexual Harassment case against Mukherjee?

Reportedly, Ranajit Mukherjee resigned in 2020 after former Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Gowda, chairman of the party's research department undertook an internal investigation on the accusations of sexual harassment against him. Mukherjee was also a member of the party's research department. His resignation was accepted and he was removed from his post of AICC secretary last year.

During the 2018 Rajasthan assembly elections, a member of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Congress' student wing, reported about him in writing, while another colleague in the research department alleged sexual misconduct.

The NSUI member complained about the sexual harassment by Mukherjee, which he said was a ‘consensual relationship’ as per reports. Another colleague, who was part of the AICC research department said that he had shown ‘predatory’ behaviour.

Why is the matter significant?

The matter gains significance as the party has not cleared him of accusations as of now, but decided to reinstate him on a powerful position within a year. And that too when, the victims have pledged that the accused shall be evicted from the party, and he has shown a pattern of misconduct with women. As per a report by the Hindustan Times, the victims have also written to Rahul Gandhi requesting his rebuttal. 

On the other hand, the accused Mukherjee had pleaded that he was wrongly framed and he had been ‘punished enough,’ and now the party has recognised his hard work.

Empty claims by Congress?

While the Congress top brass including party President Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were seen vociferously raising issues of women empowerment recently, and bashing the Union government for ‘misogyny,’ the move of reinstating a sexual offender raised questions of propriety.

UP state elections in charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stated that she wants to put women in a position of power, by reserving 40% seats for them in the upcoming elections, but at the same time, she is being questioned for not implementing the same in her own party. At this conjuncture, doubts are being raised, ‘Are Congress’ claims only political vows?’

Image: Twitter/ PTI