New Delhi: A woman journalist who identified herself as Richa Parashar and said she was three months pregnant has alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi grabbed her hand and pulled her forward before his security personnel pushed her during the INDIA bloc’s protest march to the Supreme Court on October 12.
Parashar claimed she fell down the stairs, landed on her stomach and sustained injuries to her hand and knees. She also alleged that her mobile phone was damaged in the incident.
In a video recorded from her hospital bed, Parashar said she had extended her microphone towards the Congress leader while covering the protest. She alleged that Gandhi moved towards her, grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, following which his security personnel pushed her.
The journalist further claimed that her cameraperson fell on top of her and several other people fell amid the commotion caused by the large crowd. She alleged that Gandhi’s supporters shouted at her instead of helping her get up.
Parashar questioned the Congress’s position on women’s safety and urged media organisations that had recorded the incident to release their footage.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Gandhi of manhandling the journalist and alleged that she was injured and subsequently hospitalised.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari claimed that Gandhi grabbed the journalist by the shoulder and pushed her to the ground. He criticised the Congress leader’s conduct, citing his public statements on gender equality and women’s rights.
BJP Delhi vice-president Rajesh Bhatia said the journalist’s sister had approached him on Monday evening seeking medical assistance. Bhatia said he contacted BJP MLA Umang Bajaj and local leader Prateek Sharma, who accompanied him to the hospital.
Bajaj condemned the alleged incident, stating that public representatives should respond to journalists’ questions rather than resort to physical confrontation.
The incident occurred during the INDIA bloc’s march towards the Supreme Court over allegations concerning electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
