A fresh controversy has erupted involving senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. A female journalist has approached Delhi Police with a formal complaint, demanding the registration of an FIR against him over an alleged altercation during a public demonstration.
Details of the Alleged Incident
According to the complainant, journalist Richa Parashar, the incident occurred on October 12 outside the Supreme Court. She stated that she was covering a protest march organized by the Congress party and approached Rahul Gandhi to secure a media byte. During this interaction, she alleged that the leader and his security personnel shoved her, causing her to lose balance and fall on the stairs.
Parashar mentioned in her complaint that she repeatedly urged the security personnel and the leader not to push her, but her appeals went unheeded. She added that the fall caused injuries to her hands as she tried to break her descent, and she struggled for nearly forty minutes amidst slogan-shouting party workers before receiving assistance.
Hospitalization and Medical Examination
Following the chaos, the journalist experienced severe physical distress. Parashar stated in the police filing that she was eleven weeks pregnant at the time and began suffering from sharp lower abdominal pains shortly after the fall. Out of grave concern for her pregnancy, she was rushed to the emergency department of Sir Gangaram Hospital in Delhi at approximately 9:00 PM on the same day.
Medical professionals at the hospital modified the diagnostic procedure upon learning about her pregnancy. An ultrasound scan was performed specifically to check the fetal heartbeat and ensure the safety of the pregnancy amidst the trauma she experienced.
Moreover, she noted that the breathable air felt scarce in the charged crowd and she remained in a state of deep shock for a considerable duration after the incident.
Congress Party Reaction
In response to the allegations, the Congress party has firmly rejected the claims. Party leaders questioned the credibility of the statements made by the complainant, dismissing the entire episode as a political propaganda campaign orchestrated by rival parties. Congress leader Pawan Khemka, or rather Pawan Khera, explicitly maintained that Rahul Gandhi did not push anyone during the demonstration.
Legal Sections and Next Steps
The complainant has invoked specific provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in her plea to the authorities. As the matter continues to draw significant public and political attention, the next course of action by Delhi Police remains under close observation.
