Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a prominent Congress figure, met with National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) protesters in New Delhi on Wednesday. The protesters claimed they were assaulted by Delhi Police during their demonstrations. At a press conference, Gandhi introduced one of the female protesters as “our sherni,” highlighting her bravery in the face of adversity.

During the gathering, another protester played the flute, performing ‘Vaishnava Jana To’ and expressing the sentiment that “nafrat ka jawab pyar se diya jaega,” which translates to “hatred will be answered with love.” Gandhi praised the courage of the female protester, who alleged she was beaten yet remained undeterred.

Allegations of Police Misconduct

The female protester recounted her experience, stating that a police constable named Chanchal Yadav assaulted her after NSUI members were detained in buses during a peaceful protest. She reported that there were approximately 30 to 40 protesters in each of the three buses, including two women and a majority of male NSUI members in her vehicle.

She described the events leading to her alleged assault, saying, “Yesterday, all NSUI workers were protesting peacefully when we were detained in three buses. In our bus, there were two girls and 20 to 30 other NSUI colleagues. After being detained, we attempted to exit the bus to continue our protest.

However, Chanchal Yadav grabbed me by the neck and pushed me back onto the seat, scratching my face and leaving visible marks.” Furthermore, she claimed that when she resisted, Yadav slapped her and made derogatory remarks. This incident has raised concerns regarding police conduct during protests.

Injuries Reported by Other Protesters

Rahul Gandhi also mentioned Athira, a student from Kerala enrolled at Delhi University, who alleged that she sustained injuries to her ear and eye during the police action. Gandhi stated, “Athira from Kerala has lost her hearing in one ear due to being struck. Last time, I showed you a boy who was blinded. Now, she is deaf in one ear.”

Athira claimed that there were no female police officers present in the bus during the detention. She expressed her concerns, stating, “I asked for a woman officer to be present during our detention, but there were none. The bus stopped outside the Connaught Place police station, where I was repeatedly struck, leading to injuries.”

Her allegations highlight the lack of adherence to protocols regarding the presence of female officers during the detention of female protesters, raising questions about the treatment of individuals in custody.

Judicial Custody of CJP Leaders

Rahul Gandhi also condemned the five-day judicial custody of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were reportedly detained for allegedly violating peace bonds and trespassing into Jantar Mantar, a site that has recently been de-notified as a designated protest area. They were sent to Tihar Jail on Wednesday.

According to police sources, the leaders were detained after allegedly breaching barricades and entering the protest site without proper authorisation while demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The police have registered a case against them, citing various charges including trespassing and obstructing public servants.

Das and Ranka had previously signed bonds to maintain peace for a year after being detained during a protest on Saturday, indicating a history of confrontations with law enforcement during demonstrations.

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