DELHI POLICE AT RAHUL GANDHI’S DOORSTEP OVER ‘WOMEN BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED’ REMARK

Sun 19 March 2023:

New Delhi: Top officials of the Delhi Police descended on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Sunday, March 19 morning, in connection with a notice served on him on March 16 for a speech he had made during the Srinagar leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Gandhi’s speech mentioning the grief of sexual assault survivors is now under the scanner. The police took a suo motu cognisance of the matter. “He had mentioned in his speech in Kashmir about a few unknown women who were raped. We had sent him a notice seeking details of these women and will now question him about the same,” a senior Delhi Police official told The Indian Express.

Police had served him a notice on March 16, asking him “to give details about the women who approached him regarding sexual harassment”. The notice said the police can take action in favour of women if Gandhi provides more details.

During his foot march, Gandhi had said, “There were a lot of women I met during the Yatra who were crying. They were emotional. Have you seen them? I have noticed them. They said they have been raped. They have been molested. I asked one of them, ‘Sister, should I tell this police?’ They said don’t tell this to police. Rahul Ji, we want you to know this. Don’t tell the police, we will face more harm. So, this is the truth of our country today.”

Meanwhile, the Congress party criticised the Delhi Police’s move, saying that there is no legal precedent to the notice issued against Gandhi based either suo motu or on a complaint. “There can be a statement, but they can’t compel him to reveal names of victims. The action is malicious and bogus,” the party said, according to NDTV.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress party said Delhi Police’s “cheap theatrics” proves that the Narendra Modi government is “rattled” over questions on Adani. “Bharat Jodo Yatra and Rahul Gandhi gave a safe space to millions of women to walk freely, voice their concerns & share their pain. Delhi Police’s cheap theatrics prove how rattled Mr. Modi is with our questions on Adani. This harassment deepens our conviction to seek answers.”

Bharat Jodo Yatra and Rahul Gandhi gave a safe space to millions of women to walk freely, voice their concerns & share their pain.

Delhi Police’s cheap theatrics prove how rattled Mr Modi is with our questions on Adani.

This harassment deepens our conviction to seek answers. https://t.co/GlOVemRMrB

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 19, 2023