Three female journalists have accused police officers in India of sexual harassment during street protests in the capital Delhi. The accusations were made on Saturday after police detained scores of young people calling for the resignation of the chief election commissioner over changes to voter rolls.
The accusations of sexual harassment against journalists and protesters by police during demonstrations over electoral integrity raise serious concerns about human rights and the fairness of upcoming elections in India. These events could impact public trust in democratic processes and law enforcement.
Three female journalists have accused police officers in India of sexual harassment during street protests in the capital, Delhi. The claims emerged on Saturday following the detention of numerous young people who are demanding the resignation of the chief election commissioner over alleged irregularities in voter roll changes.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Delhi and Mumbai for a third consecutive day on Sunday, calling for Gyanesh Kumar to step down. The Election Commission maintains that the ongoing exercise is designed to eliminate duplicate and ineligible entries from the voters' list, with 130 million names already removed. Videos circulating online depict protesters being forcibly removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site in central Delhi.
The accusations by the journalists include inappropriate touching by police officers. Aahna Singh, an activist and student at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told Reuters news agency that police had dragged her by her hair, describing the actions as 'brutality'. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi stated that women fear for their safety and demanded an answer from the home ministry.
Protesters, including supporters of the satirical online movement-turned-pressure group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), argue that the revision of voter rolls will unfairly benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. The CJP initiated the latest protest following a report in The Indian Express detailing objections raised by two other election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, over decisions made without their knowledge. These differences reportedly centered on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which commenced last year.
In response, the Election Commission defended its operations, stating that 'differing views' are a normal part of the 'decision-making process' and that all decisions are ultimately unanimous. However, these revelations have intensified opposition demands for Kumar's resignation. Delhi Police have acknowledged receiving the complaint and have transferred the case to their crime branch for a 'fair and impartial' inquiry.
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