Meitei groups, former students criticise ‘media trial’ of Congress MP Bimol Akoijam

Imphal, Oct 14 (ANI): Congress MP Bimol Akoijam addresses his supporters after a return march rally in front of his residence at Keishamthong, in Imphal on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) | Photo Credit: ANI Certain civil society organisations representing the Meitei community and Manipuris in Delhi issued a statement on Thursday (October 15, 2026) calling for an end to the “political theatrics and media trials” that have overshadowed the “handling” of sexual harassment charges against A. Bimol Akoijam, a former professor and sitting Inner Manipur Congress MP.The joint statement said that “speculation, selective disclosures, and sensationalised coverage risk prejudicing the inquiry, damaging reputations, and causing further harm”. Meanwhile, a group of Mr. Akoijam’s former MPhil and PhD students issued a statement “in solidarity” with him over his “rushed, procedurally flawed, and politically charged” dismissal as a faculty member of the Jawaharlal Nehru University last week.Mr. Akoijam, a Professor at the Centre for Study of Social Systems at JNU and the Congress MP representing Inner Manipur, defeated the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — a year after the State was pushed into an ethnic conflict. Last week, JNU dismissed him from his professorship at the university over allegations of sexual harassment after an inquiry by the Internal Committee.Political opportunismIn a statement issued jointly, the Delhi Meetei Coordination Committee, Team Meitei Personalities, the Meitei Heritage Society, and the Ningol United Progressive Initiative have expressed concerns about the “political opportunism” that had apparently “overshadowed the need for a fair, independent and confidential inquiry” in the case. They added that the “political theatrics unfolding in Delhi and Manipur risk turning a sensitive case into an instrument of political contestation, at the expense of due process and the dignity of those involved”.Separately, unnamed former students of Mr. Akoijam flagged media reports making allegations “not mentioned in the complaint”. “This is a mockery of the long years of service, selfless dedication, and passion with which he has shaped several young minds across different batches, including us.” They added that the “media trial” against Mr. Akoijam had “illegally and unethically subjected” him and his family members to “humiliation and mental trauma”. Published - October 15, 2026 10:54 pm IST