Women BJP members completely safe: Assam minister
Guwahati, Aug 21 (PTI) Assam minister Ajanta Neog on Monday asserted that women BJP members are “completely safe” in the saffron party and are given prominent leadership roles at all levels.
Her assertion came after opposition parties raised questions on the safety of women BJP members following the recent death by suicide of a woman leader.
Neog dared the opposition to win the 2026 assembly polls and then raise women-related issues in the House if they are “genuinely concerned” about the welfare of women.
A BJP Kisan Morcha leader died allegedly by suicide at her Guwahati residence on August 11 after her intimate photos with another party leader surfaced.
Two persons, including one who was expelled from the primary membership of the party after the suicide, have been arrested by the police so far.
“It is unfortunate that some people are trying to politicise the matter. I express my condolence to the bereaved family and hope that such an incident does not happen again,” Neog, who holds the Finance and Women and Child Development portfolios, told reporters at the BJP state head office here.
“As a BJP member, I can say that women members are completely safe in the party. We have seen how the party gives leadership positions to women. For the first time in the country, we have a woman as a Union finance minister. I, myself, hold the same department in the state,” she said.
Neog challenged those speaking up for women now to contest and win 2026 assembly elections and raise the matters in the House.
“If they are so concerned about women rights and issues, let them enter the assembly in 2026 and raise these matters in the House,” she added.
The senior BJP leader also urged women to be more politically active and join politics for “true equal development” of all genders.
In a separate press conference at the same venue, four other women leaders of the BJP also asserted that the party has given them due prominence and responsibilities.
They alleged that the opposition parties, especially the Congress, are trying to gain political benefit from the suicide case and have launched a campaign against the BJP.
“Women are completely safe in the BJP. In fact, it is the Congress which has faced allegations of women harassment against its leaders over the years,” said party state vice-president Bijuli Kalita Medhi, state secretary Aparajita Bhuyan and spokespersons Janaki Khaund and Juri Sharma Bordoloi.
Four senior woman leaders of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) had on Friday demanded that the police take strong action against all the persons involved in the alleged suicide of the woman BJP leader.
A memorandum in this regard was submitted in person by APCC vice-presidents Pranatee Phukan and Bobbeeta Sharma, general secretary Roselina Tirkey and MLA Nandita Das to Commissioner of Police Diganta Barah.
They alleged that a cash-for-job scam was behind the woman BJP leader’s death.
