Gujarat: Congress stages walkout over police 'atrocities' on its female workers

The Opposition Congress in Gujarat on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Assembly during the ongoing Budget session, protesting the alleged physical assault and atrocities carried out on its female workers by male police officers, whom the party accused of directly acting on the orders of the state government.

Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghvi, however, said in the House that no such incident took place and assured that he will share a video document to clear the air.

He alleged that the Congress' female workers entered the 'Sachivalaya' complex when the Budget session was underway, trying to create a ruckus.

Former Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amit Chavda told the House that on International Women's Day on Tuesday, the party's female workers were demonstrating at the Satyagrah Chhavni in Gandhinagar after obtaining police permission.

However, they were physically assaulted by male police officers under direct orders from the state government, Chavda alleged.

Many of them were beaten up besides being illegally detained by the male officers, he alleged.

"On learning about the incident, when our leaders requested the police officers to release them, they too were detained. This is shameful," Chavda said in the House.

Replying to this, Sanghvi claimed that no such incident took place and that he was ready to share video evidence with the House.

Speaker Neema Acharya said that she has heard both the versions and will take a decision in this matter on Wednesday.

After this, the Congress members started sloganeering and chanting 'Stop atrocities against women' before walking out of the house.

Geni Thakor, the Congress MLA from Vav, said that on a day when people are celebrating International Women's Day, it is really shameful that women are being physically assaulted by male cops.

Thakor said, "We demand immediate suspension of the police officers involved and the MoS Home should apologise in the House for the false allegation that the female members entered the Sachivalaya complex. If proved wrong, we will apologise."