Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a press conference to counter what he described as authorities' “danda" (stick) treatment to the growing protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Gandhi introduced a flute artist - Samar - who played 'Vaishnav kan to tene kahiye' song on the instrument in a symbolic answer to ‘danda’.
"Dande ka jawab dande se [A stick counter to sticks]," Rahul Gandhi said.
The flute artist, who identified himself as Samar, said he was detained on October 5, beaten up by police personnel were in civil clothing.
“I was detained on Oct 11, but Bajrang Dal and RSS goons made them detain us. I have their video threatening peaceful protesters with sticks and stones. These goons went and told the police, who detained us. Phones were snatched and formatted. At least 15 females were there. July 20 also one RAF personnel hit me with a stick,” Samar said.
Rahul Gandhi introduced another person — an NSUI functionary — who he described as a “sherni” (tigress), saying she was beaten and still wasn't deterred.
'Beaten black and blue'
The female NSUI functionary alleged they had been “beaten” during detention. Sje accused a woman constable — Chanchal Yadav — of “dragging” her when taking her to the Connaught Place Police Station.
“They took us to the police station and in room 107, there were women officers in civilian clothing. I was beaten in the room and my legs have turned blue,” the NSUI protester alleged, adding that her ears also turned blue.
The NSUI protester said demonstrators had attempted to stop a bus and sit underneath it to ensure their protest continued.
"We take the lead during the protest and try to stop the bus. We get off the bus and sit underneath it so that our protest can continue at all costs," she said.
The protester alleged that the woman police personnel grabbed her by the neck and pushed her backwards, causing her to fall onto a seat. She further alleged that Yadav scratched her face with her fingernails, leaving injuries on her face and near her ear.
"When I retaliated slightly, she slapped me so hard that she said, 'Here, take another slap across your face'," the protester alleged.
She said that when she tried to get up, Yadav grabbed her by the hair and repeatedly pulled her back and forth inside the bus, despite her attempts to resist.
"Eventually, I fell to the ground, and she came on top of me. She then pulled me even harder by the area above my ear," she said.
The protester alleged that she was wearing an earring when the incident occurred and that the force used caused it to become embedded in her ear. She claimed her ear turned blue and its shape changed due to the injury. According to her, doctors had to remove the earring when she went to the hospital that evening.
She also alleged that Yadav made threatening remarks during the confrontation.
"'You people should not come here so much. We will show you what we can do. Just wait and watch. We know all about your political leadership,'" the protester quoted Yadav as saying.
The woman further alleged that Yadav kicked and punched protesters while leaving the scene, while male personnel present on the bus did not intervene.
'Private parts hit'
Recounting another incident near the Connaught Place police station, she said she was accompanied by a colleague from Kerala, identified as Teera, who tried to protect her.
She alleged that her colleague was also assaulted, with her private parts hit, and dragged along the road, while she herself was targeted. The protester also claimed that her black backpack was forcibly pushed during the incident.
The protesters were subsequently taken to the police station, she said. According to her account, her colleague was taken in connection with a preventive action, while she was booked under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The protester alleged that the assault continued inside the police station, where five to seven women in civilian clothes entered the room, including Yadav.
"They asked, 'Where is your leader? Where is your leader? I will drag them out,'" she alleged.
She claimed that Yadav confined her to the room, where around seven to eight people beat her severely.
"After that, I was dragged downstairs by the CPO, and then…" she said, trailing off in her account.
The allegations could not be independently verified. The account represents the protester's version of events; a response from the police was not available in the material provided.