New Delhi: Protests are currently intensifying at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, centred on demands for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner. The wave of protests, which began on October 2, continues to grow, and the Delhi Police are now facing scrutiny over the conduct of their officers during these events. Allegations of sexual harassment have been levelled against senior Delhi Police officers by three female journalists covering the protests against the Election Commission at Jantar Mantar.
These allegations were raised not by the protesters themselves, but by three female journalists. On Sunday, the Delhi Police announced that the complaints had been referred to the Crime Branch for a detailed investigation. The journalists alleged that police officers touched them inappropriately while they were reporting on the protest. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police confirmed that complaints from the three female journalists were received by the New Delhi district unit and subsequently handed over to the Crime Branch to ensure an impartial inquiry.
The situation escalated on Saturday evening when independent journalists and social media influencers staged a sit-in protest outside the Sansad Marg police station. They demanded that a case be registered against the officers involved, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
What is the Delhi Police saying?
Citing an unnamed Delhi Police official, the Hindustan Times reported that the case involves allegations of sexual offences against women committed by police personnel on duty; therefore, an impartial investigation is essential to gather evidence. The official further noted that numerous police personnel from the Sansad Marg station and the New Delhi district were deployed for law-and-order duties during the protest, which is why the investigation has been assigned to a different unit to ensure neutrality.
Criticism of the Delhi Police
Many politicians and activists have taken to social media to criticise the Delhi Police over this shameful conduct. They have unanimously demanded the registration of an FIR against the accused. Among them is Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, protesters have also exerted pressure on the police, questioning how any police officer could sexually harass a woman.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Delhi Police’s Conduct
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a senior Congress leader, has also raised questions regarding the Delhi Police. He stated that this is not the first time; there have been previous instances supported by video evidence where police officers have engaged in appalling misconduct towards women.
Women and female students across Delhi are anxious about their safety and are staging Satyagraha (protests); yet, the very police force entrusted with the responsibility of protecting women is the one raising its hand against them. A government that is afraid to even register a woman’s complaint whose safety is it actually ensuring?
