Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah after three women journalists alleged sexual harassment by police personnel during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar, asking why no cognisance of the allegations had been taken.
The opposition party said Shah must ensure that a first information report is registered in the case and action is taken against those responsible. It added that the prime minister must ensure the women's reservation law is implemented at the earliest, and that otherwise both should resign. The allegations concern Saturday's demonstration at Jantar Mantar, where protesters have been demanding the CEC's resignation over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on X that the journalists had accused police personnel of sexual harassment while reporting at the protest site, and that despite protests by dozens of journalists, no FIR had been registered and no concrete action had been taken.
Fresh allegations in the same case
The advocacy group Citizens for Justice and Peace alleged that the police were protecting an assistant commissioner of police named Vivek Bhagat, and claimed the police were unwilling to meet the journalist who had alleged molestation by him. Legal experts cited in the reports said that under Section 199 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, non-registration of an FIR for a molestation complaint by the police is a cognisable offence. These are allegations and have not been adjudicated.
The allegations surfaced as the stir entered its third consecutive day on Sunday. Activists of the All India Students' Association marched from Andhra Bhawan Circle towards Jantar Mantar amid heavy barricading, and clashed briefly with police at the barricades. AISA national president Neha Bora, who had attempted to climb over a barricade, was detained by the Delhi Police and later released. Around 150 protesters, including Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav and advocate Prashant Bhushan, had been detained on Saturday.
Other developments in the SIR row
Supreme Court judge Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday criticised the SIR exercise in a speech at NALSAR, saying any process that disenfranchises millions of citizens would be arbitrary and strike at the heart of the Constitution. The Delhi units of the INDIA bloc parties decided to hold a joint protest outside the Delhi Election Commission office on October 7. Separately, six Congress leaders accused of defacing the CEC's residence in Agra with black paint were released on bail after the police dropped an attempt-to-murder charge during the investigation.
Sources:
The Hindu — Protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar: AISA president Neha released (live updates, October 4, 2026)
The opposition party said Shah must ensure that a first information report is registered in the case and action is taken against those responsible. It added that the prime minister must ensure the women's reservation law is implemented at the earliest, and that otherwise both should resign. The allegations concern Saturday's demonstration at Jantar Mantar, where protesters have been demanding the CEC's resignation over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on X that the journalists had accused police personnel of sexual harassment while reporting at the protest site, and that despite protests by dozens of journalists, no FIR had been registered and no concrete action had been taken.
Fresh allegations in the same case
The advocacy group Citizens for Justice and Peace alleged that the police were protecting an assistant commissioner of police named Vivek Bhagat, and claimed the police were unwilling to meet the journalist who had alleged molestation by him. Legal experts cited in the reports said that under Section 199 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, non-registration of an FIR for a molestation complaint by the police is a cognisable offence. These are allegations and have not been adjudicated.
The allegations surfaced as the stir entered its third consecutive day on Sunday. Activists of the All India Students' Association marched from Andhra Bhawan Circle towards Jantar Mantar amid heavy barricading, and clashed briefly with police at the barricades. AISA national president Neha Bora, who had attempted to climb over a barricade, was detained by the Delhi Police and later released. Around 150 protesters, including Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav and advocate Prashant Bhushan, had been detained on Saturday.
Other developments in the SIR row
Supreme Court judge Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday criticised the SIR exercise in a speech at NALSAR, saying any process that disenfranchises millions of citizens would be arbitrary and strike at the heart of the Constitution. The Delhi units of the INDIA bloc parties decided to hold a joint protest outside the Delhi Election Commission office on October 7. Separately, six Congress leaders accused of defacing the CEC's residence in Agra with black paint were released on bail after the police dropped an attempt-to-murder charge during the investigation.
Sources:
The Hindu — Protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar: AISA president Neha released (live updates, October 4, 2026)
