New Delhi: Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified persons following a complaint by a Kashmiri youth who alleged that he was assaulted during a protest by Congress leaders in the Connaught Place area of New Delhi on Thursday.
The complainant, Fahim Nazir, a resident of Srinagar, claimed that he was targeted after arriving at the protest site carrying a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raising slogans in his support. Police said all aspects of the incident would be investigated.
Kashmiri Youth Denies Abusing Rahul Gandhi
Speaking to reporters, Nazir alleged that he was beaten by protesters despite not abusing Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
“EVMs were brought by Rajiv Gandhi for the first time in 1998. You all have the footage. I did not abuse Rahul Gandhi, but I was beaten badly,” he said.
Nazir also said he had taken the initiative to make people aware of what he described as a conspiracy to turn India into Nepal or Bangladesh. He maintained that questions should be directed at Rahul Gandhi and described his remarks as an exercise of freedom of speech.
However, some protesters reportedly alleged that Nazir had verbally abused Gandhi. A video circulating on social media appears to show the youth being surrounded, pushed, dragged and repeatedly hit by people in the crowd.
The competing claims surrounding the incident are expected to be examined as part of the police investigation.
BJP Leaders Condemn Alleged Assault
The incident triggered a political backlash, with BJP leaders condemning the alleged assault. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared the video on social media and accused Congress workers of displaying an “anarchist mindset”.
Another BJP spokesperson, Sajid Yousuf Shah, also criticised the incident and questioned the Congress’s commitment to dissent and freedom of expression.
The Congress and other opposition parties have been holding protests over alleged discrepancies in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The demonstrations have also targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The FIR has been registered against unidentified persons, and the police investigation is underway.