The BJP on Thursday attacked Rahul Gandhi for allegedly misbehaving with a woman police officer during an October 7 protest. Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, "How can a male leader touch a woman police officer in a wrong way?" The party claims Gandhi’s actions showed he does not respect women’s dignity.
New Delhi:
The BJP on Thursday doubled down on its attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over alleged "misconduct" with a woman police officer during a protest.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia attacked Gandhi, saying he raises the 'Smash The Patriarchy' slogan but himself "misbehaves" with women cops.
The allegation came over a video of a confrontation near Jantar Mantar when police personnel attempted to remove one of the women protesters from the sit-in on Delhi's Ashoka Road. The video, played by Bhatia at the press conference, showed Rahul Gandhi pushing a woman police officer.
Opposition MPs of the INDIA bloc held a sit-in protest at Ashoka Road on October 7 to raise the issue of 'vote chori' and seek the ouster of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a day after their eight-hour dharna to press for a meeting with election commissioners.
They wanted to hold the protest at Jantar Mantar but police stopped them at a roundabout on Ashoka Road. The leaders were detained later. The video the BJP leader played is from the same protest.
"How can a male leader touch a woman police officer in a wrong way? Women police officers have the right to dignity same as the women protesters," Bhatia said.
Calling Rahul Gandhi's conduct "shameful", Bhatia said his actions amount to "violating the dignity of the woman cop".
"Is this Rahul Gandhi's character?" he asked.
He further attacked the Leader of the Opposition, questioning his silence on the video.
"There has been no explanation till now from Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party. Smash the Patriarchy has been reduced to a mere slogan by the Congress."
The BJP leader further asked why Rahul Gandhi pushed the woman cop himself and did not ask the women leaders in the protest to engage with the officer.
"Why didn't he let women Congress leaders deal with the woman police officer? Shows that Gandhi doesn't respect women," Bhatia added.
Bhatia also played another video showing Priyanka Gandhi in a scuffle with a woman police officer during a protest.
"Priyanka Gandhi pushed a woman police officer while being protected by her security personnel. Do only women of the Gandhi family deserve to be treated with dignity?" he asked.