Preserve evidence of police excesses, Rahul Gandhi tells student protesters

New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked students who took part in the protest seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to record videos and preserve evidence of alleged police excesses, saying that those responsible would be held accountable.

Addressing a press conference along with protesters, Gandhi said the demonstration represented a collective voice that cut across religion, caste and gender.

“There is no Hindu here, no Muslim, no one from any particular caste. There is no woman or man. There is one voice, one protest. It is the voice of India, and you are standing against this voice. The Prime Minister is standing against this voice,” he said.

Gandhi urged the students not to stand against this voice, adding that no one could suppress it. He said he had asked them to maintain video records and send the evidence to the Congress.

“When this entire matter concludes, we will use all the evidence and ensure that everyone who needs to be punished is punished, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gyanesh Kumar and Amit Shah to even the constable who raises a hand against our children,” he said.

On the possibility of police action, Gandhi said FIRs were part of the process of protest and would not deter the movement.

“See, this is a protest. FIRs will be filed, and that is all part of the work. But there is one voice, and that voice is being suppressed,” he said.

Gandhi introduced a woman protester as “our sherni”, praising her for remaining fearless despite allegedly being assaulted. He said there was no hatred in her heart.

He also referred to alleged injuries suffered by students during the protest. Gandhi said Athira, a Kerala student studying at Delhi University, had lost hearing in one ear after being struck there.

“Athira from Kerala has lost her hearing in one ear. She is deaf in one ear because she was struck on that ear. She can no longer hear. Last time, I showed you a boy who had been blinded. Now, she is deaf in one ear,” he said.

Athira alleged that no woman police personnel were present when protesters were detained on Tuesday. She said she had asked authorities why a female officer or constable was not deployed during the detention of women.

She further alleged that the bus in which she was taken stopped outside the Connaught Place police station, where she was repeatedly hit on the cheek.

“Because of this, I have an injury to my eye and damage to my ear,” she said, describing the injuries she claimed to have suffered during the incident.

(Inputs from IANS)