New Delhi: Congress has reacted sharply to Delhi police arriving at Rahul Gandhi's residence seeking details of women who told the leader about incidents of sexual harassment to him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot claimed that police arrived at Rahul Gandhi's residence after taking orders from Home Minister Amit Shah. He said, "Without Amit Shah's order, it is not possible that police could show such audacity to enter the house of a national leader without any reason. Rahul Gandhi said that he has received the notice and he will reply to it but still, the police went to his house."
Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said that all is being done to divert attention from the Adani issue.
"To divert from the Adani issue, they (BJP) are asking all these questions by sending the police. Rahul Gandhi & Congress will not get scared. No matter how much they try to save Adani, we will continue to question them," Kharge was quoted as saying by ANI.
Reacting to the development, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters that he was allegedly not allowed to enter the road leading to Rahul Gandhi's residence.
"Are they afraid of Rahul Gandhi, or are they trying to scare him? Either case, they are wrong," Khera said.
Party MP Jairam Ramesh said that everything is being done to divert attention from the demand for a JPC probe on Adani stocks by the opposition parties.
"16 Opposition parties except TMC are demanding JPC but suddenly they (BJP) brought up an issue of what Rahul Gandhi said in London. They are presenting his statement in a distorted manner to divert attention from JPC and to defame Congress and Rahul Gandhi," he told ANI.
He said, "It has been 45 days since Bharat Jodo Yatra ended. They (Delhi police) are going for questioning after 45 days. If they are so much concerned why didn't they go to him in February? Rahul Gandhi's legal team will respond to it as per law."
Congress leader Rashid Alvi told ABP News that it was very unfortunate and the BJP was trying to silence the voice of opposition in the country.
Delhi police earlier in the day arrived at the residence of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with the notice that was served to him earlier. The police had sought information on the 'sexual harassment' victims that he mentioned in his speech during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Special CP (L&O) Sagar Preet Hooda has reached his residence for the same.
Talking to reporters, Special CP Hooda said that the Congress leader has been informed and he is aware they are here. He said that he was there for information on the notice that was earlier sent to him. Hooda said that since Yatra went through Delhi and he lives here, they have come to his residence to get information.
This comes after the Delhi police sent notice to the Congress MP on March 16 seeking information about the women who complained to him about incidents of sexual harassment. The notice was served in response to Rahul Gandhi's statement that "women are still being sexually assaulted" during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
The Delhi Police said it sent the notice and asked for information on the victims so that appropriate action may be done, according to authorities, news agency ANI reported.
The police had forwarded a list of questions after becoming aware of the social media posts.
During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandi had issued a statement in Srinagar, saying: "In one particular case I asked a girl, she had been raped, I asked her should we call the police, she said that don't call the police then I will be shamed."