Hours after the Delhi police visited Rahul Gandhi’s residence seeking information about the ‘sexual harassment’ victims whom he mentioned during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar, the Congress MP on Sunday submitted a four-page preliminary reply, stating that he will give a “detailed response in the next 8-10 days”.
In his 10-point reply, Gandhi termed the Delhi police’s action as “unprecedented” and raised three questions. First, he said that he hopes it has “nothing to do with the stand he took in Parliament and outside on various issues including the Adani case”, reported agencies citing sources.
Second, Gandhi questioned the “urgency of Delhi police in making the visits after an initial gap of over 45 days” – after his remarks on January 30. Third, he asked if “any other political party (including the ruling BJP), was ever asked similar questions over their political campaigns”.
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Meanwhile, the Delhi police said that while they received the preliminary reply, Gandhi did not share any information that can take the investigation forward, reported ANI.
Earlier in the day, a Delhi police team – headed by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda – visited Rahul Gandhi’s 12, Tughlaq Lane residence around 10 am to question him about his remark, and remained there for over two hours.
During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi said “I have heard that women are still being sexually assaulted”, and according to the police, since the Yatra passed through Delhi, they want to ascertain if any victim approached the Congress MP in order to initiate a probe into the matter. The police asked Gandhi to give details of the victims so that security could be provided to them, officials said.
Meanwhile, the Congress hit out at the ruling BJP following the Delhi police’s visit to the Wayanad MP. “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,” the Congress tweeted from their official Twitter handle.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
