NCW team treated Guwahati molestation case as photo op: BJP

New Delhi, Jul 19: The BJP alleged that the Congress has reduced National Commission for Women (NCW) into a political tool and insisted that a team of the panel that visited

treated the

as a "photo opportunity" instead of ensuring the culprits were punished.

BJP Mahila Morcha chief Smriti Irani led a delegation of her party to the NCW to press for action against the culprits of the molestation case and also seek answers to certain issues like naming of the victim by the NCW team. "We were extremely surprised to find that the sympathies of NCW Chairperson Mamata Sharma were more with NCW member Alka Lamba than with the victim," Irani later told reporters.

During her visit to Guwahati a few days ago, Lamba had named the victim at a press interaction. Irani said the delegation also asked Sharma if NCW had made any recommendations for action to the Congress government in Assam. "Point number 10 of the NCW recommendations states that action should be taken against the public which was watching the incident," Irani said, adding that there is no suggestion for action against the news channel which uploaded the "uncut version" on YouTube along with the victim's personal details and image.

The BJP alleged that the news channel is owned by a senior Congress minister in Assam and said the culprits included Youth Congress members. "NCW is silent on the specific time frame within which the recommendations made to the state government should be implemented. The NCW fact finding mission has utilized the Guhawati molestation incident as a photo opportunity... It has been reduced to a political tool of the Congress," Irani said. The party will raise this issue in Parliament.

PTI