Congress leaders have criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government following Delhi Police’s arrival at Rahul Gandhi’s 12, Tughlaq Lane residence over a case related to his speech during Bharat Jodo Yatra. Delhi Police earlier sent notice to the Wayanad MP seeking information on the speech he made over ‘sexual harassment’ victims during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The official Twitter handle of Congress said the ‘theatrics’ by Delhi Police prove ‘how rattled (Prime Minister) Modi is’ by their 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,” it said.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh questioned the delay in Police approaching Gandhi after 45 days since the Yatra has ended.
Also read: Delhi Police at Rahul Gandhi’s doorstep: What did he say in Kashmir?
“It has been 45 days since Bharat Jodo Yatra ended. They (Delhi police) are going for questioning after 45 days. If they are so much concerned why didn’t they go to him in February? Rahul Gandhi’s legal team will respond to it as per law,” Ramesh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said police could not ‘show such audacity’ to enter the residence of a national leader without Union home minister Amit Shah’s order.
“Without Amit Shah’s order, it is not possible that police could show such audacity to enter the house of a national leader without any reason. Rahul Gandhi said that he has received the notice and he will reply to it but still, the police went to his house,” Gehlot told the reporters, adding that ‘the nation is watching and they (BJP) will never be forgiven’.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that the Centre has been trying to ‘intimidate’ Rahul Gandhi to keep him from speaking out. He laid out a series of rape incidents including the Hathras and Kathua rape cases and asked about the actions taken against them so far.
“What does this show? That this is a disconcerted government…Police never threatens, the government sitting behind it does,” Khera told reporters.
A Delhi Police team arrived at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Sunday morning to question on the matter related to his speech made over ‘sexual harassment’ victims during Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Police had earlier took cognisance of Rahul Gandhi’s speech he made during the conclusion of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar where he shared an anecdote from his interaction with some women who confessed to being gangraped. It sent a questionnaire to the Congress MP seeking further details on the matter.
According to the police, referring to his experiences during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and to the problems faced by women, Gandhi had spoken of a girl coming to him and talking about the atrocities faced by her.
“In one particular case, I asked a girl, she had been raped, I asked her should we call the police, she said that don’t call the police then I will be shamed,” Gandhi had said, according to the police.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)
