Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday sent a preliminary reply to the Delhi Police’s notice regarding his statement related to “sexual harassment of women” during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
The former Congress president questioned the sudden action taken after a delay of 45 days.
Sources said that hours after the police reached Rahul Gandhi’s residence for the third time in the last five days, the former Congress president mentioned 10 points in his four-page reply.
Along with this, 8-10 days time has been sought to give a detailed reply to the notice of the Delhi Police regarding the January 30 remarks of the Congress leader.
Delhi Police on Sunday reached Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s residence here in connection with the notice issued to him over his remarks on ‘sexual harassment of women’ during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
Officials said a police team led by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda reached Rahul’s 12, Tughlaq Lane residence around 10 am and could meet Gandhi after about two hours. Officials said that the police force returned around 1 pm.
Delhi Police had sent a questionnaire to former Congress President Rahul Gandhi taking cognizance of social media post.
Rahul was asked to ‘give details about women who approached him with complaints of sexual harassment’.
According to the police, Rahul made the statement during the Srinagar leg of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, ‘I have heard that women are still being sexually harassed. Officials said the police had asked the Congress leader to give details of these victims so that security could be provided to them.
Sources said Rahul Gandhi, while sending a preliminary reply around 4 pm, termed the police action as “unprecedented”.
Rahul Gandhi asked whether this action has any relation with his stand inside and outside Parliament on the Adani issue.
Sources said that Rahul Gandhi in his reply has also questioned the ‘sudden activation’ of the police after a gap of 45 days after his remarks in Srinagar.
Sources said that the former Congress president has also asked whether any other political party, including the ruling party, has been probed or questioned in such cases regarding political campaigns.
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”.
