Major political drama unfolded on Sunday at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's residence in New Delhi after a team of Delhi police reached his doorstep to seek a reply to a notice sent to him over a remark he made on sexual assault victims during Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unite India Campaign) in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
The Delhi police, in their notice to Gandhi, sought details of the alleged victims of sexual assault and rape to give them justice.
The special commissioner of police (law and order), Sagar Preet Hooda, after meeting Gandhi, informed Indian media that the Congress leader had agreed to share the information of the sexual assault victims, but needs time to compile it.
"Today we've served a notice which has been accepted by his office and if questioning needs to be done then we will do it," Hooda told Indian media.
A large number of Congress workers gathered outside Gandhi's residence to protest against the Delhi police's actions.
The police had to take some of the workers into custody for causing a law and order situation and massive chaos.
A large number of Congress workers protest against Delhi Police outside Rahul Gandhi's residence.
© Photo : Twitter/@ANI
A heavy deployment of Delhi police and the Central Reserve Police Force was made near Gandhi’s house.
Congress leader and Member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the Delhi police for their delay, approaching Gandhi 45 days after Yatra ended.
"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,” Ramesh told an Indian news agency.
However, Hooda clarified that they had approached Gandhi several times to give notice and seek information about the victims of the sexual assault, but couldn't meet him as he was traveling abroad.
Another Congress politician, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, condemned the police's action and told Indian media that law enforcement could not "show such audacity" to enter the residence of a national leader without Union Home Minister Amit Shah's order.
"Rahul Gandhi said that he has received the notice, and he will reply to it but still, the police went to his house,” Gehlot said.
Congress leader Pawan Khera hit out at the central government and claimed that this is yet another way to "intimidate" Rahul Gandhi to keep him from speaking out about rape incidents.
“Police never threatens, the government sitting behind it does,” Khera told Indian media.