Pregnant Journalist Accuses Rahul Gandhi of Pushing Her
Richa Parashar alleges she was injured during Delhi’s anti-ECI protest, while Congress leaders dispute her account.
- Pregnant journalist Richa Parashar accuses Rahul Gandhi of pushing her during a Delhi protest.
- Parashar reports minor injuries and pain in her neck and foot.
- Congress disputes the allegation, saying the video does not clearly establish the incident.
- Parashar denies undergoing an X-ray after Congress leader Alka Lamba questioned the claim.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 13th Oct: A three-month pregnant journalist who accused Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of pushing her during an anti-Election Commission protest in Delhi has criticised Congress leaders for questioning her account of the incident.
Richa Parashar, a journalist with Oneindia, is receiving treatment at a Delhi hospital after the alleged incident on Monday. Speaking in an interview, she said she suffered minor injuries and was experiencing pain in her neck and foot. She expects to recover within a day or two.
Parashar alleged that Gandhi grabbed her hand during the commotion and then shoved her cameraperson. She said she fell to the ground, with her cameraperson landing on top of her, and claimed her phone was shattered and her microphone receiver dislodged.
“The Congress is doing shameful work by trying to pull me down. They cannot shut my mouth,” Parashar said, insisting that the incident was visible in the video footage. She also alleged that Congress supporters raised slogans in Gandhi’s support instead of helping her after the fall.
Congress leaders have rejected her allegations, arguing that the available video is unclear and does not conclusively show Gandhi pushing or pulling the journalist. Supporters have shared footage of the crowded scene, maintaining that it does not establish the alleged physical contact.
Congress leader Alka Lamba questioned the timeline of the incident and Parashar’s hospital visit in a post on X. She also raised questions about claims concerning an X-ray during pregnancy and accused the BJP of using the episode for political purposes.
Parashar denied undergoing an X-ray, saying she had disclosed her pregnancy only the previous day. She added that she had been reporting on the advice of her doctor, who had permitted her to continue her journalistic work.
The journalist further alleged that Gandhi’s supporters confronted her and called her a liar rather than offering assistance. She said she had approached the Congress leader politely and was shocked by what she described as the physical confrontation.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also criticised Congress workers, alleging that they had failed to help the journalist and instead questioned her claims. BJP leaders visited the hospital to enquire about her condition.
The controversy follows a day-long INDIA bloc protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi. Gandhi later thanked those who participated, describing the demonstration as a statement that the people of India would not be intimidated.
The allegations have added to the political tensions surrounding the protest. The available footage has not conclusively established the alleged physical contact, and the accounts of the incident remain contested.
