Three female journalists have filed accusations of sexual harassment against police officers in India during street demonstrations in Delhi on Saturday. The protests, which continued into Sunday with gatherings in multiple cities, were organized to demand the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over substantial modifications to voter registration records.
The allegations from the women journalists include inappropriate physical contact by some officers. Video footage circulating online depicts individuals being forcibly removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site in central Delhi. One activist and university student reported being dragged by her hair and described police conduct as brutal. Delhi Police acknowledged receipt of the complaint and stated it had been forwarded to the crime branch for investigation.
The Press Club of India issued a statement expressing shock at the treatment of journalists, emphasizing that such conduct cannot be accepted in a democratic system and that news gatherers must be permitted to operate without intimidation. Opposition politician Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about women’s safety, calling for accountability from the home ministry. The protests drew thousands of participants over multiple days, with supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party, an online movement-turned-pressure group, playing a notable role.
The voter-roll revision has generated significant controversy, with opposition parties claiming it advantages the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission maintains the exercise aims to eliminate duplicate and invalid entries, noting that 130 million names have been removed thus far. The commission states the previous update occurred nearly 25 years prior. According to reporting, two other election commissioners had raised objections to decisions made regarding the Special Intensive Revision process. The Election Commission responded by characterizing differing perspectives as typical of decision-making procedures.
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