Manipur Minister Accused of Sexual Harassment

NEW DELHI: Manipur Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Abdul Nasir has been accused of sexually harassing two women delegates at the recently held World Youth Summit 2015, which took place Imphal earlier this year.

Kangujam Karnajit, a youth leader from Manipur and the founder of Club 25 International, Manipur unit- which was the chief organiser of the five day event that took place from March 31 to April 2, has made allegations against the Minister.

The World Summit witnessed participation of 57 delegates from various South Asian countries as well as other states within India.

Karnajit, on Sunday, alleged that Nasir had asked two women delegates to his room in the hotel where they had put up, promising them money.

“On March 31st, the concluding day of the summit, the minister tried to lure a 19-year-old delegate from Nepal to his hotel room late in the night by promising to pay her money. At the minister's remark, the shocked girl fainted at the hotel where she was staying and told other delegates what the minister told her," he claimed.

The delegate then complained to the head of her team who, in turn, complained to Karnajit.

Twenty-six year old Karnajit further alleged that Nasir also sent obscene text messages to another female delegate belonging to Uttar Pradesh and repeatedly called her late at night, in an attempt to invite her to his room

Further, he said that when he brought up the matter with the Agriculture Minister, Nasir pleaded him not to make it public. In return, Karnajit added, the Minister said he would pay the Rs 3.58 lakh hotel bill for the housing of the delegates, which was to be paid by the organizer of the Summit, that is, Karnajit.

Karnajit clarified that the bill was paid without his consent, however, adding that it was not unusual for the politicos to help us.

Interestingly, the Imphal Free Press, in an article, alleged that there were financial discrepancies in the conduct of the Youth Summit. The local media had also made allegation against Karnajit which included a charge that he had not cleared the bill for the hotel where the delegates stayed.

The youth leader, while refuting these allegations, said that he runs an NGO called Club 25, which deals in blood donations, adding that the bills were already settled, that too by Nasir.

On being asked why he was quiet till now, Karnajit said that the women had requested him not to disclose the incident or lodge any complaint.

"However, I reported the matter to Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and to the Secretary of the Chief Minister a day after the incident that happened on April 1. The Deputy Chief Minister assured me that he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister”, he added.

Meanwhile, Abdul Nasir Nasir rubbished the allegations and said that Karnajit has made all these charges in order to blackmail him.

"Karnajit requested me to extend financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for paying the hotel bills of the delegates who had come to attend the summit. I paid him Rs 2 lakh as the event was important. After I refused to pay the remaining amount he made the allegation to defame me," Nasir said.

Nasir further said that he did not take phone numbers of any of the delegates. In fact, he claimed that the delegates took his number on learning that he was a minister.

Nasir added that he would file a defamation case against Karnajit.