The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday intensified its agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, seeking his removal, and demanded action against the police officer whom three women journalists have accused of sexual harassment.

Traffic movement in central Delhi was temporarily restricted as hundreds of personnel from Delhi Police, Central Armed Police Forces and the Rapid Action Force were deployed, along with buses and PCR vans, to prevent the protest march called by various organisations, civil society groups and student organisations, including AAP’s student wing — the Association of Students for Alternative Politics.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, accused AAP of trying to “vitiate Delhi’s political atmosphere” and disrupt law and order.

AAP staged protests outside the Parliament Street police station and later at India Gate, where at least 25 of its members were detained while trying to march towards the headquarters of the Election Commission.

The party’s Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj, joined by party colleagues and ASAP members, alleged “different standards of action” in cases involving ordinary citizens and those in positions of power. 

He demanded an FIR against the senior police officer accused of sexual harassment.

“For the past two days, there have been protests at Jantar Mantar, but not a single protester raised a hand against police personnel or engaged in any form of violence. Yet, look at the manner in which the police treated elderly citizens, civil society members, MPs and MLAs. We tolerated all of that,” he said. However, Mr. Bharadwaj added that if an officer is found misbehaving with a woman journalist, “India will not tolerate it.”

Reacting to a video of Mr. Bharadwaj being detained, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal wrote on X: “This is absolutely shocking. [Prime Minister Narendra] Modiji has left even Hitler behind.”

‘Communist ideology’

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said it was “extremely unfortunate” that a handful of people associated with “communist ideology” were trying to “vitiate Delhi’s political atmosphere”.

He alleged that AAP and its “communist allies” had brought people from Punjab for the protests in the national capital.

(With inputs from PTI)

Following up on her accusations of threats and intimidation by Hockey India secretary Bholanath Singh, former India captain Asunta Lakra has urged the Sports Ministry to intervene against the “institutional protection of sexual harassment, intimidation and victimisation of women athletes in hockey”, even as federation president Dilip Tirkey assured to look into the matter.

Writing to the ministry, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha, among others, Asunta alleged that individuals accused of misconduct were being protected while those raising concerns were threatened.

“I write to you not merely as a former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team, a member of the Executive Board of Hockey India and a selector but as an Indian woman who chose to speak up when young female athletes were being sexually harassed,” wrote Asunta.

“Throughout my career, I believed the greatest responsibility of a senior player is not only to win medals but also to protect the next generation… I brought to the attention of the Jharkhand government allegations against Sudhir Golla… what followed has shaken my faith in the system. The machinery of intimidation was set in motion against me,” she alleged.

Tirkey assured he would talk to both parties to resolve the matter. “Asunta Lakra is one of the treasures of Indian hockey. She has done a great service to the sport by bringing to light an unfortunate incident related to Jharkhand hockey. The Jharkhand government has taken action against Sudhir Golla, and we removed him from the Under-18 national team.

“Regarding allegations against Bholanath, I will speak to both parties and hope that the matter is resolved amicably. The dignity and respect of women is our top priority and Hockey India remains fully committed to the same,” Tirkey said.