Women police personnel were reportedly molested and injured during a protest led by Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, according to allegations made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta before the Supreme Court. During the court proceedings, Mehta displayed visuals from the recent protest, asserting that female police officers were subjected to molestation and physical harm. Mehta emphasised that the police were also verbally insulted but managed to handle the situation responsibly.

He claimed that the protest was unlawful because no prior permission had been obtained for its conduct. This assertion followed the opposition coalition, known as the INDIA bloc, being restrained by police efforts to reach Jantar Mantar, where they intended to protest against perceived vote manipulation and to call for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Court Evaluates Restrictions on Protests

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant discussed the necessity of balancing the right to protest with other citizens’ rights to free movement and access to essential services. Senior lawyers, including Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan, questioned the scope of the restrictions imposed, which included metro station closures, train cancellations, increased security checks at Delhi’s borders, and alleged instructions to hotels not to accept new bookings.

Tushar Mehta defended these measures, labelling them as essential for maintaining law and order. Justice Joymalya Bagchi remarked that the police’s actions might appear excessive given the evidence presented in court. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan highlighted the impact of transport restrictions on millions of commuters, not just those attending the protest.

The court requested the actual police order detailing the extent and legality of the imposed restrictions. The Chief Justice raised concerns about claims of police visits to accommodations that were not substantiated in court records. Vrinda Grover, representing the organisers, informed the bench that two applications seeking permission for the protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had been denied.

According to her, the protest was publicized well in advance, and the organizers sought a designated area for the demonstration. During the proceedings, the bench hinted that the protest could proceed under conditions including a cap on the number of participants and prohibitions on carrying weapons. Furthermore, they clarified that blockages of highways would not be permissible.

BJP Accusations Against Rahul Gandhi

In the aftermath of the protest, allegations emerged from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that Rahul Gandhi attempted to push and inappropriately touch a female police officer during an altercation on Ashoka Road. This incident took place as police were trying to remove a woman protester from the sit-in area.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared a video clip on social media, accusing Gandhi of improper conduct towards the officer. Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia has called for an apology from Gandhi. Congress has yet to offer any official comment regarding these allegations. Gandhi, along with other opposition leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was forcibly removed and detained following police intervention to stop their buses from heading towards Jantar Mantar.

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