‘Dignity-for-jobs’ row: Congress steps up pressure with protests, NCW petition

Guwahati, April 30: Twenty-four have passed and the Congress is yet to knock on the High Court’s door against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s alleged “dignity-for-job” remark.

Instead, the primary Opposition in the state exercised their democratic right and launched a protest at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati on Wednesday, vowing that tomorrow, every district of the state would witness similar protests.

“The Congress will carry out protests in every district across the state tomorrow,” said senior leader of the party, Mira Borthakur during the protest.

The demonstration at ABC saw a considerable participation of members and workers of the city unit of the Assam Mahila Congress Committee along with other leaders and members.

Chanting slogans such as “Himanta, go back!” and “BJP regime, go back!” the protesters reiterated their condemnation of the Chief Minister’s remark and restated their demand for a public apology from Sarma’s alleged “appalling” remark. An effigy of the Chief Minister Sarma was burnt by the protesters as a mark of protest.

Borthakur further informed that the Mahila Congress Committee has escalated the matter to the National Commission of Women through a letter that was sent today.

“We have raised this matter with the National Commission for Women, as has the All India Mahila Congress Committee. Job scams are not unheard of globally, but a 'virginity-for-jobs' scam is unheard of and deeply disturbing. The BJP, which aspires to make India a Vishwa Guru, has instead brought shame to every woman in Assam on the global stage with such degrading remarks,” she told the press.

She further informed that the letter urged the NCW to recommend a CBI inquiry, citing lack of trust in the Assam Police. “We don’t expect the state police to act fairly and impartially,” the letter read.

Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, Bhupen Borah warned that if the Chief Minister failed to apologise, the Congress would lodge police complaints against him in every district of Assam.

Launching a scathing attack on Sarma, Borah said that such comments would not be tolerated “anywhere but Assam”.

“The Chief Minister is up and about the way he is – after making such derogatory remarks – only because this is Assam. Had this been Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, the Chief Minister’s condition would have been miserable by now,” said Borah.

The APCC chief went further, invoking mythological and historical references: “Every time women’s modesty and dignity was outraged, what happened to Raavan, Duryodhana, and Sulik-pha? The same fate awaits Himanta Biswa Sarma.”

The controversy stems from the Chief Minister’s recent claim that during Congress’s 15-year rule (2001–2015), women had to “compromise their dignity” to obtain government jobs.

Sarma later clarified that he was quoting from the Biplab Sarma Committee report. However, the explanation has failed to pacify the Congress, especially the members of the Assam Mahila Congress Committee.