The legal proceedings concerning allegations against Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for allegedly pushing and mistreating a female journalist are set to be heard by the Supreme Court. The matter was brought before a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) by Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson and advocate Gaurav Bhatia.
During the proceedings, advocate Gaurav Bhatia requested the apex court to fix a specific date for hearing this application and to clarify whether an official notice has been issued in the matter. In response, the CJI stated that notices had already been issued in all petitions presented before them, confirming that the court will take up the matter for hearing on October 26.
In a related development, advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai also mentioned a separate aspect of the matter before the CJI led bench. He expressed concern that ongoing demonstrations could cause significant financial losses to shopkeepers and business owners operating in the Connaught Place area.
Addressing this concern, the Chief Justice remarked that the court expects everyone to act with prudence and responsibility. He pointed out that small shopkeepers rely heavily on the festive season for their earnings, and if their trade gets disrupted, their entire families could face severe economic hardship.
The bench noted that while protesters have their rights, safeguarding the livelihoods of small traders is equally important. The court observed that if demonstrations result in economic losses for local vendors, the Supreme Court can exercise its constitutional powers, though for now, the court intends to monitor how the situation unfolds.
The controversy stems from an incident on October 12 in Delhi during the INDIA bloc's march towards the Supreme Court, where the Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP was accused of misbehaving with and shoving a female journalist.
The journalist making the allegations has publicly claimed that she is three months pregnant. Based on the petition filed regarding this incident, the Supreme Court will officially hear the matter on October 26.
