Ashish Ranjan
The Congress on Sunday lashed out at the Delhi police for visiting the residence of party leader Rahul Gandhi for a second time to seek information about the’sexual harassment’ survivors he had spoken about during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar, stating that Gandhi had already told another team of the Delhi police on March 16 that it would take at least 7 to 10 days for him to provide the details.
The party claimed that this type of action by the Delhi police was impossible without the interference of the ruling party, that the entire situation was “unprecedented and unprecedented” in India’s 75 years of independence, and that it “smacks of the lowest level of petty spite and political vendetta.”
Rajasthan chief minister and Congress stalwart Ashok Gehlot, speaking at a press conference in Delhi, recalled the post-emergency era when the Janata Party had emerged after defeating the Congress in the 1977 general elections and said, “When the Janata Party had emerged, they too had started these kinds of attacks on Indira Gandhi, but the people gave them a befitting reply, and in the 1980 elections Indira Gandhi again rose to plight.” Today’s events exceeded our expectations because Rahul Gandhi informed the Delhi police that he would respond within 10 days, so what was the rush?”
Gehlot added that the entire nation was in fear because the ruling dispensation continued to promote politics of hatred by inflicting communal issues and creating a rift between the Hindu and Muslim communities, whereas Rahul Gandhi was spreading the message of love and raising concerns about inflation and unemployment.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior barrister and Congress spokesperson, criticised the Delhi police by stating that it lacked jurisdiction and that the government was attempting to sensationalise the matter and create an atmosphere of intimidation.
“After 45 days, the Delhi police, which appears to lack jurisdiction, appears to have awoken. On the 16th, after agreeing to Rahul Gandhi’s request for 10 days to respond, they arrived at the airport again this morning. This is an attempt to sensationalise and create an atmosphere of intimidation, and it is the result of Rahul Gandhi’s profound, unanswerable questions directed at the government, whether inside or outside of Parliament, as stated by Singvi.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who was also present, stated that he does not see a “middle path” to end the stalemate in Parliament and that the governing party is doing this on purpose to deflect attention away from the Adani issues being raised in Parliament.
“Since 16 parties demanded a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) inquiry over it (Adani issue) and Rahul Gandhi spoke for 50 minutes in the Lok Sabha about the Adani controversy, the government has devised a plan to insult him over what he said in Cambridge and London. They are diverting facts now that the situation has been clarified. Even with approval from the speaker of the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi is not permitted to address in Parliament. This will not work, however, as the 16 opposition parties will continue to raise the Adani issue, and as the Home Minister says, “the middle path is impossible.”
On Sunday, a Delhi police team led by special commissioner of police (law and order) Sagar Preet Hooda arrived at Rahul Gandhi’s 12, Tughlaq Lane residence and served him with a fresh notice in relation to an earlier notice issued to him over his “women are still being sexually assaulted” remark made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar.
Taking into account social media posts, the police sent a questionnaire to the Congress leader, requesting that he “provide details about the women who complained of sexual harassment”
Gandhi reportedly stated in Srinagar, “I have heard that sexual assaults against women continue.” The police visited him twice and waited for hours to obtain information about the sexual abuse survivors who had approached him for safety.
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As soon as the police served the notice to Rahul Gandhi, a number of party members gathered in front of his residence to stage a protest and chant slogans against the Delhi police and the Centre.The Delhi police have stated that they will only take action against the perpetrators of the sexual assaults against the women.
