A plea in the Supreme Court alleges Rahul Gandhi pushed a three-month-pregnant journalist during the October 12 Opposition march. The court agreed to hear the matter on October 26 or 27. Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia mentioned the application after reports claimed the journalist got injured and needed hospital care.
A plea in the Supreme Court alleges Rahul Gandhi pushed a three-month-pregnant journalist during the October 12 Opposition march. The court will hear the plea on October 26 or 27.
A plea filed in the Supreme Court has alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed a three-month-pregnant woman journalist on the court premises during an Opposition march on October 12. The application was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Friday (October 16), with the court agreeing to hear it on October 26 or 27.
Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia mentioned the application, which has been filed in a pending petition seeking directions against political demonstrations within court premises.
According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), Bhatia told the bench that a female journalist had been manhandled on the court premises.
The allegations relate to the march led by Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders to the Supreme Court on October 12 to file a petition challenging alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The application follows Bhatia’s submissions before the Supreme Court on Thursday, when the bench was hearing a batch of petitions concerning the SIR exercise, protests in Delhi, the October 12 march and alleged assaults on journalists and lawyers.
Bhatia had urged the court to take cognisance of reports alleging that Rahul Gandhi pushed the journalist, who was three months pregnant and subsequently had to be hospitalised.
“Lady journalist pushed by LoP Rahul Gandhi, she was two months pregnant. I have a report. What am I urging? Cognisance of this news be also taken," Bhatia had submitted, according to Live Law.
The bench had said it would not take cognisance of an oral submission alone and asked Bhatia to file an application, indicating that it would examine the issue.
“Not taking suo motu of an oral submission. File petition, will like to examine," the CJI had said.
On Friday, Bhatia returned to the matter, seeking a hearing on the application filed in the pending case.
Journalist Alleges Rahul Gandhi Pulled Her Hand, Security Personnel Pushed Her
According to ANI, a woman journalist alleged that Rahul Gandhi and his security personnel manhandled her while she was covering the October 12 march.
She claimed that the incident left her injured and led to a medical emergency during the first trimester of her pregnancy.
Recounting the incident, Parashar said she was recording the protest when Rahul Gandhi allegedly held and pulled her hand, following which his security personnel pushed her.
Parashar further claimed that she fell on the stairs of the Supreme Court while asking people around her not to push her. She alleged that her phone was also damaged during the incident.
Describing what happened after the fall, she said she was unable to breathe amid the crowd and repeatedly asserted that Rahul Gandhi had pushed her.
She also alleged that people around her did not immediately check on her condition.
Parashar added that she was concerned about the possible consequences of falling during the first trimester of her pregnancy and said she had fallen on her stomach.
The allegations made by the journalist are the subject of the application and have not been established by the court.
Supreme Court Had Issued Notices Over October 12 March
The application comes amid proceedings concerning the Opposition march to the Supreme Court over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.
On October 12, Rahul Gandhi and several prominent Opposition leaders, accompanied by supporters, reached the court to file a petition over alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the revision exercise.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued notices to Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the Congress party and others on a plea challenging the march.
The court also heard matters concerning protests and allegations involving journalists and lawyers.