'What is urgency after gap of 45 days': Rahul Gandhi sends preliminary reply to Delhi Police notice on his 'sexual assault on women' remark

Congress leader seeks eight to 10 days to give a detailed response to questions posed by Delhi police, say sources

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leaves his residence in New Delhi, on Sunday, March 19, 2023. PTI

PTI

New Delhi, March 19

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday sent a four-page preliminary reply to the Delhi Police’s notice about his “women still being sexually assaulted” remark made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra while questioning the process adopted by the authorities and a sudden urgency after a 45-day delay.

The Congress leader gave the 10-point reply hours after a Delhi Police team knocked on his doors for the third time in five days. He also sought eight to 10 days to give a detailed response to the questions posed by Delhi police over his January 30 remarks, the sources said.

The police team headed by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda arrived at Rahul Gandhi’s 12, Tughlaq Lane, residence around 10 am and was able to meet the Congress leader after two hours, officials said, adding the team left around 1 pm.

According to the police, Gandhi stated in Srinagar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that “I have heard that women are still being sexually assaulted”, and since the Yatra had passed through Delhi also, they wanted to ascertain if any victim had approached the Congress leader here so that they can initiate a probe into the matter.

“The police had asked him to give details of these victims so that security could be provided to them,” an official said.

Sending a preliminary reply a little before 4 pm, Gandhi termed the police action “unprecedented” and asked whether this had anything to do with his position taken both inside and outside Parliament on the Adani issue, sources said.

According to them, Gandhi also asked what was the urgency on the part of the Delhi Police in making two visits in as many days after an initial gap of 45 days after he made his speech in Srinagar.

The former Congress chief, the sources said, asked whether any other political party, including the ruling party, has been subjected to such kind of scrutiny or questioning over their political campaigns.

An angry Congress has condemned the Delhi Police action and attacked the Central government, calling it the “worst case of harassment and political vendetta”, but the BJP rejected the charge and said the police was “only discharging its lawful duty”.