Women cops molested: Govt's big charge linked to Rahul Gandhi-led protest

Women police personnel were molested and injured during the Congress protest led by Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta alleged before the Supreme Court on Friday.“Please see visuals from two days ago. Lady police officers have been molested and injured,” Mehta told the court. He said police personnel were also verbally abused but acted responsibly, adding that the protest was unlawful as no permission had been granted for it.His submission comes two days after opposition INDIA bloc MPs were stopped by police while attempting to reach Jantar Mantar to protest alleged “vote chori” and demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Mehta made the remarks during a hearing on pleas challenging restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of a separate protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on October 10 against the Chief Election Commissioner. COURT QUESTIONS PROTEST CURBSA bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the right to protest must be balanced with the rights of other citizens to move freely and access essential facilities.Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Prashant Bhushan and Vrinda Grover questioned the scale of the restrictions. They flagged metro station closures, train cancellations, checks at Delhi’s borders and alleged directions to hotels not to accept fresh bookings. Mehta, appearing for the government, defended the measures as necessary to maintain law and order.“We need to balance the rights of citizens who want to protest and the right of the larger citizenry to access basic facilities,” Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed. He said the police action appeared disproportionate based on the material placed before the court.Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan argued that transport restrictions would affect millions of commuters, beyond those intending to join the protest.The bench sought the actual police order to assess the extent and legality of the restrictions. The Chief Justice also asked whether allegations of police visits to hotels and paying guest accommodations had been placed on record.Grover told the court that two representations seeking permission for the CJP protest had been rejected. She said organisers had announced the protest well in advance and sought a designated space.The bench indicated that the protest could be regulated by limiting attendance and ensuring participants remained unarmed. It also made clear that highways could not be blocked.BJP’S ALLEGATIONS AGAINST RAHUL GANDHIFollowing Wednesday’s protest, the BJP alleged that Gandhi tried to push and inappropriately touched a woman police officer during a confrontation on Ashoka Road. Police were attempting to remove a woman protester from the sit-in when the incident occurred.BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared a video clip on X and accused Gandhi of attempting to push the officer. Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia sought an apology. There was no immediate reaction from the Congress to those allegations.Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other INDIA bloc leaders were forcibly removed and detained after police stopped their buses from proceeding towards Jantar Mantar.The protest followed an eight-hour dharna a day earlier, when opposition MPs sought a meeting with the Election Commissioners.- Ends