India rahul gandhi Special CP (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda delhi police
Special CP (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda arrives at the residence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the notice that was served to him by police to seek information on the 'sexual harassment' victims that he mentioned in his speech during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, in New Delhi on Sunday, March 19, 2023. Image Credit: ANI

New Delhi: The national capital on Sunday witnessed a massive drama with Congress workers taking to the streets after the Delhi police served a notice to their party leader Rahul Gandhi over his speech made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar.

A few of them were detained by the police for posing a threat to the law and order of the city.

Soon after the police served a notice to former Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his speech made in connection with alleged sexual assault on women, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir, a number of party workers gathered outside his residence in Tughlak lane area to stage a protest.

The protestors were raising slogans against the Delhi Police and Centre.

Sensing the gravity of the matter, extra police force which was deployed in the morning, detained the protestors.

Delhi Police has said that they only want to take action against the culprits who sexually assaulted the women.

Rahul Gandhi had, during his speech, said that a few women met him and alleged that they were sexually assaulted.

Rahul to share information, seeks time

Rahul Gandhi has assured the Delhi Police that he will share the information about the claims that he made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra speech in Srinagar, and also said that he needed some time for this.

“We have met Rahul Gandhi, he has said that he needs time to give his statement. Mr Gandhi said that the Yatra was so long and he needed to recollect who had connected him and his team. After receiving details he has assured to share them with us,” said a police official who did not wish to be named.

A Delhi Police team led by Special Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Dr Sagar Preet Hooda and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), New Delhi Pranav Tayal had reached Gandhi’s residence at Tughlak lane early this morning to serve him a notice.

According to sources, the police team on March 15 had waited for three hours at Gandhi’s residence to serve him notice, however, he did not meet them. Again on March 16, senior officers visited his residence and served the notice after waiting for one-and-a-half hours.

A senior police officer said the notice was issued after the police took cognisance of social media posts and sent a list of questions.

“ ...in one particular case, I asked a girl (who had been raped) if we should call the police? She said ‘don’t call the police... I will be shamed’,” Rahul Gandhi had said during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar.

Speaking with mediaperaons, Special CP Hooda said that Gandhi made the statement on January 30 in Srinagar.

“This is a very serious matter and we came here to gather more information in this connection. We need information regarding his speech and the victims so that we could initiate legal action into the matter and victims could get justice,” said Hooda.