SC to hear journalist's plea against Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI The Supreme Court will hear on October 26 or 27 an application by a pregnant journalist who has alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed her inside the Supreme Court Registry during an Opposition march on October 12. The journalist, Richa Parashar, claimed that she was injured during the incident while covering a protest against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi agreed to consider the application after senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia requested that the matter be listed. He also sought clarification on whether notices had been issued in connected cases. Parashar alleged that Gandhi held and pulled her hand while she was recording the protest, after which his security personnel pushed her. She claimed that she fell on the stairs of the Supreme Court and that her phone was damaged. The journalist said the incident caused a medical emergency during her first trimester of pregnancy. Describing the alleged incident, Parashar said, "It is clearly visible in my video: Rahul Gandhi moves forward, and held my hand—and he pulled it. He pulled it, and I felt his power. He pulled, and in that same second, his guards pushed me," she said. She also claimed that she struggled to breathe in the crowded area and fell on her stomach. According to her account, she repeatedly said that Gandhi had pushed her, but people around her did not provide the assistance she expected. Parashar said she was shocked and distressed after the incident and began crying because she was concerned about her pregnancy. She also alleged that people accompanying Gandhi shouted slogans in support of him while she tried to speak. The application is scheduled to be taken up by the Supreme Court later this month. The allegations remain claims made by the journalist, and the court is yet to hear the matter.