Agencies | New Delhi:
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the alleged public harassment of two minor students in Bihar’s Jamui district and questioned the state government over the incident.
The reaction came after a video purportedly showing a group of men allegedly harassing and accosting a minor girl and her male friend surfaced online. In the video, the girl is seen with her hands folded and pleading with the group to let them go.
In a post on X, Gandhi described the video as “deeply disturbing” and alleged that the girl was subjected to harassment and forcibly prevented from leaving.
“This is not a ‘culture’. It is patriarchy: the belief that any man can police a girl’s body, her movement, her choices,” Gandhi said.
He called for all those involved to be identified and prosecuted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Gandhi also questioned why the accused had not been arrested if the incident took place on September 19 and asked the Bihar government to explain why a girl was not safe on a public road in the evening.
Meanwhile, Jamui Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Dayal said the two minor students had been subjected to inappropriate behaviour.
“The incident happened in the Jamui police station area. The accused have been identified. We are taking legal action and the accused will be arrested soon,” the SP said.
Police later told News18 that an FIR had been registered against seven people in connection with the incident and that three accused had been arrested.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.
