The midnight vigil called for by the Congress president Rahul Gandhi turned out to be a nightmare. Sister of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had to admonish the participants during the vigil for their behaviour. Angry Priyanka Vadra told that those who were present at the vigil had to know the reason for their presence. She also asked those who wanted to push others could go home.
#RahulMidnightMarch | Priyanka Gandhi loses her cool over chaos at candlelight march. Says if you want to push people, you can go home. #KathuaHorror#UnnaoHorror
Get #LIVE updates here: https://t.co/mkYCJIYiP7pic.twitter.com/411fNMdSei
— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 12, 2018
In addition to this Mausami Singh of India Today, known for her support to Mani Shanker Aiyar when he grabbed the mike of Republic journalist, also claimed to have been ‘lynched’ and ‘groped’ at Rahul Gandhi’s midnight vigil. She says [watch from 5:40 in below video] :
Even I was quite shocked. I have covered many candlelight marches and agitations. The way Congress workers went berserk was absolutely shocking. They were so lost and out of control in taking selfies, pushing people around trying to get closer to their leaders. In fact, there was a Congresswoman worker who was bitterly weeping because she was pushed and shoved so badly that Priyanka had to call for her and get her into the ring. That statement Priyanka made that “all of you stay quiet and march till India gate” was the beginning of a horrific, horrific pushing and shoving which carried on till India Gate.
Priyanka had to literally make a sprint till the India Gate. [..] Her daughter was petrified. She was literally in tears. [..] I was the only woman journalist. I also got lynched. I also got groped. Groped in the dark. [..] It was an unruly behaviour of the Congress people, they were there for their leaders. They came there, they stood there, they participated in the march, but they completely forgot that why were they at all there? What was the purpose? You came here for women’s safety, women’s security and look the way you treat your women and your colleagues.
Another video surfaced on Social Media where Priyanka Vadra is seen trying to escape the crowd. She is also seen hitting someone with her elbow who was presumably misbehaving with her.
Video : Priyanka Gandhi treated badly by Congress workers during rape protest she even seen kicking one of them with her elbow pic.twitter.com/vFLHoQ63OR
— Arya®️ (@Frustitute) April 13, 2018
This is not the first occasion on which women journalists have faced difficulties in Congress events. In August 2017, a woman journalist had been groped at a Youth Congress rally in Delhi. Ironically, this event, where another journalist was groped was also organised to protest against the “government’s failure to maintain law and order”.
It is indeed ironic that both times the Congress party organised protests to either “raise their voice” against declining law and order situation, or this time, raise their voice against the brutal rape in Kathua, women journalists have ended up being groped, harassed and humiliated.
Perhaps it is time for Congress to first protest against its own cadre. Volunteers who can’t seem to respect women while demanding security for women. Perhaps for Rahul Gandhi politicization of such issues is more important rather than focussing on the security of women.
