‘Amit Shah ji, where are you’: Oppn slams Centre, Delhi Police as women journalists await FIR in harassment case

Rahul Gandhi, flagged the alleged police “misconduct at Jantar Mantar” on Saturday, asking why the government “fears registering a woman's complaint.”

Opposition leaders from the Indian National Congress and Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday questioned the Centre and Delhi Police after no FIR was registered over sexual harassment claims made by three women journalists. The Opposition maintained that it was their “basic duty” to register an FIR in the matter.

Both Rahul and Priyanka questioned the non-registration of FIR in the matter. (PTI/ X:@INCIndia)

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, flagged the alleged police “misconduct at Jantar Mantar” during the protests on Saturday, asking why the government “fears registering a woman's complaint.” He further said that the Delhi Police comes under the ministry of home affairs, adding that Union home minister Amit Shah would “have to answer for this.”

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi too launched criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Shah, saying it was the police's “job to provide security”. Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, who also joined the protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station where the journalist and her lawyer were present, said “failure” to register the FIR was “not merely a procedural lapse” but could constitute “a punishable offence.”

What have the Opposition leaders said?

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said, it was the “police's basic duty” to register an FIR in the matter, saying hundreds of journalists had been sitting outside the police station with this demand.

“There are allegations of misconduct with women protesters. Cameras were snatched, journalists were dragged. And this isn't the first time—we've seen video evidence before of police officers engaging in disgusting misconduct with women,” he said, highlighting that hundreds were taken into custody on Saturday during the protest in Delhi.

“Women across Delhi, students, are gripped by fear for their safety, staging satyagraha—but the very police responsible for protecting women are raising hands against them. And a government that fears registering even one woman's complaint—what exactly is it protecting?” he questioned. “Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Amit Shah ji, where are you? You have to answer for this,” the Congress leader added.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi too said that “no concrete action was taken” in the matter. “. Women engaged in peaceful protests also allege that the police are behaving very indecently with them. The very police whose job it is to provide security is making women feel threatened. From college students to journalists—women are facing insecurity everywhere," she said. “Is this the right way to treat women? If not, then why don't you take notice of it?” she asked, tagging Shah and PM Modi.

AAP leader Bharadwaj said not registering the FIR could constitute a punishable offence “under Section 199(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, carrying rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 2 years, along with fine.”

What has the Delhi Police said?

The Delhi Police acknowledge receiving the complaints from women journalists, and said they had been transferred to Crime Branch “for fair and impartial enquiry.” DCP Neha Yadav the three women had lodged a complaint at around 6 pm on Saturday “alleging manhandling by Delhi Police officers and staff during their detention.”

“Their complaint has been registered, medical examinations have been conducted, and the matter has been referred to the Crime Branch. We request anyone possessing relevant footage to share it with the Crime Branch,” Yadav told ANI news agency. She said AISA and other organisations had staged a protest on October 3 “despite the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS” in the New Delhi district.