NHRC issues notice to UP Chief Secretary, DGP over manhandling of Rahul Gandhi by police

In a rare instance, the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and DGP of the BJP-led UP government on Tuesday over the manhandling of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by UP police personnel when he tried to reach Hathras to meet the alleged gang-rape victim’s family on October 1.

The Commission also sought to know the action taken by the government in this regard.

Asking the Chief Secretary and the DGP to submit their reply within four weeks, the Commission said, “In case the report is not received within the stipulated time, the Commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process u/s 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 for personal appearance of the concerned authority”.

A complaint was filed before NHRC by Varanasi-based human rights activist Lenin Raghuvanshi on the same day that Rahul Gandhi was pushed to the ground during a scuffle with UP police personnel when he was walking on foot on his way to meet the Hathras victim’s family.

Talking to National Herald, Lenin said that everybody is a human rights defender, be it a politician or journalist or a government official if he/she speaks up against oppression by the State or the police.

“I highlighted before the Commission that Rahul Gandhi, as a citizen of this country, has every right to meet anyone, anywhere as and when he wishes. The UP Police by stopping him forcibly and manhandling him violated the basic principle of human rights,” added Lenin.

Welcoming the step taken by the NHRC, UP Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu said that it is a tight slap on the face of the Yogi Adityanand-led UP government.

“Dictatorial attitude of the Yogi government is not something new that we are fighting with. But it was shocking to see UP police misbehaving with Rahul Gandhi in such a way. To protect the dignity of people of the state, we will fight the fascist Yogi till the end,” he said. Saying that action must also be taken against the responsible officials, Lallu added, “I hope this will not end only in issuing the notice and seeking a reply.”