'Was pushed, fell on the stairs': Journalist Richa Parashar alleges being manhandled by Rahul Gandhi during protest at SC
Journalist Richa Parashar claims she was pushed and fell on stairs during a protest involving Rahul Gandhi while she was in her first trimester.
In a harrowing account of a routine professional assignment turned traumatic medical emergency, journalist Richa Parashar has alleged that she was manhandled and violently shoved by Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and his security detail. The incident occurred during a chaotic exit from the Supreme Court during a protest march on Monday, leaving the reporter physically injured and in a state of distress while she is currently in her first trimester of pregnancy.
A terrifying two-second ordeal
For Parashar, the incident unfolded with terrifying speed. While attempting to capture the political protest, she describes a sudden surge of movement that resulted in her being physically displaced.
“I set my microphone, and all of a sudden, in just two seconds, everything happened,” Parashar recounted. “It is clearly visible in my video: Rahul Gandhi moves forward, and held my hand—and he pulled it. He pulled it, and I felt his power. He pulled, and in that same second, his guards pushed me.”
The reporter stated that she attempted to plead for safety as the crowd moved, but her cries were ignored. “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. There were stairs at the Supreme Court; I fell on the stairs,” she said.
Medical emergency and fear for unborn child
The fall was not just a physical blow but a profound psychological trauma. Parashar, who is in her first trimester of pregnancy, described the terrifying sensation of falling on her stomach. The intensity of the pain eventually forced her to seek emergency medical attention at Delhi's Gangaram hospital.
“I didn't even want to tell my organization,” she confessed, noting her vulnerability. “But when the pain in my stomach became unbearable, I had to tell the nurse. The moment they realized I was pregnant, they stopped the X-ray. I was rushed for an ultrasound,” she recounted.
She expressed shock at the lack of empathy from those surrounding her during the chaos. “I was shocked because I felt that as a person, there would be someone there who would ask, 'Are you okay? Take some water, move to the side.' But no one said anything. I could not process it; I was sitting and crying.”
Accusations of "staged" propaganda
As the story gained traction, Parashar reported facing a wave of online vitriol. She claims that supporters of the Congress leader have dismissed her physical trauma as "staged" or "political propaganda."
She expressed a deep sense of betrayal regarding these accusations, particularly from those who claim to advocate for women's rights. “They talk about ‘smashing patriarchy,’ but they are saying that 'If she was pregnant, why did she go to the crowd?' I am a journalist, too, right? So, it's my job,” she said.
Parashar maintained that her priority throughout the ordeal was solely her health and the safety of her unborn child. She dismissed claims that her hospital visit was orchestrated by political rivals, stating that her sister had only sought assistance to navigate the high costs of emergency medical care—a move she says is now being weaponized against her.
“I am a journalist and I was doing my job. I am speaking for all the female journalists out there who do reporting, face life problems, and manage their homes and families while still working and face this kind of apathy,” she concluded.