Pregnant Journalist Files Criminal Complaint Against Rahul Gandhi Over Alleged Manhandling
Journalist Richa Parashar has filed a criminal complaint against Rahul Gandhi, alleging she was manhandled during a protest near the Supreme Court.
A journalist has moved the legal machinery against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, following a chaotic incident during a political protest. Richa Parashar has lodged a formal criminal complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of the New Delhi District, demanding the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Gandhi and several other individuals.
The Incident at the Supreme Court
The confrontation allegedly took place on October 12, while Parashar was on a professional assignment covering a protest march led by Rahul Gandhi near the Supreme Court premises. What started as a routine reportage quickly turned into a traumatic ordeal for the journalist.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred during a chaotic exit from the Supreme Court. Parashar alleges that she was violently shoved and manhandled by Rahul Gandhi and his security detail. The reporter claims the force used was significant enough to cause her to fall on the stairs of the Supreme Court, resulting in physical injuries and a medical emergency.
A Harrowing Account
Recounting the moments of the clash, Richa Parashar described a sudden and violent shift in the environment. She stated that while she was setting up her microphone, Rahul Gandhi moved forward and pulled her hand with considerable force. Simultaneously, she alleges that his security guards pushed her, leading to her fall.
“I was shouting, 'Sir, I am being pushed. Sir, we are leaving. Please don't push.' I was requesting him, 'Please don't push, sir.' And in two seconds, I was pushed,” she recounted.
Parashar further alleged that her pleas for help were ignored. She claimed that as she lay on the ground, party cadres began chanting "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad," which she believes was a deliberate attempt to drown out her voice and suppress the unfolding situation.
Pregnancy and Medical Emergency
The gravity of the incident was heightened by the fact that Parashar is currently in her first trimester of pregnancy. The journalist expressed deep distress over the lack of empathy from those around her after she fell.
“I was sitting and crying because, as a woman in the first trimester of pregnancy, I didn't know what the situation would be. I fell on my stomach,” she said, adding that no one stepped forward to ask if she was okay or offered her water.
Following the incident, which also left her phone shattered, the reporter sought immediate medical attention. She was admitted to the emergency room at Delhi's Gangaram Hospital, where she underwent examinations for her injuries.
Evidence and Demands
The journalist maintains that the entire sequence of events was captured on her equipment. Despite her phone being damaged, she asserts that the microphone attached to her collar continued to record the audio of the struggle and the subsequent chants of the crowd.
With the filing of the complaint to the DCP, Parashar is seeking a full investigation into the misconduct and the registration of a formal case against the political leader and his associates.