Renuka Chowdhury Of Congress Tries To Defend Grabbing A Cop's Collar

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, who was today charged with assaulting a cop, said that she lost her balance and grabbed the policeman's collar to steady herself. "I lost my balance. That's why I held on to that cop," Ms Chowdhury told NDTV.

"The lady cop was twisting my arm, I lost my balance and grabbed him to regain it," she added.

The incident occurred during protests in Hyderabad against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons to Rahul Gandhi.

A video of the incident went viral on social media earlier today showing the former MP grabbing the collar of a policeman in Telangana. The 43-second video also shows Ms Chowdhury arguing with the policeman. She was then dragged by female police officers towards a police van.

Ms Chowdhury also claimed that the cops were pushing and manhandling her. She also claimed that hundreds of policemen came to the scene when she was talking to the media.

"I reached the venue after everything was over. All the Congress leaders had been taken away. The media rushed toward me, and I was answering their questions. Suddenly from behind, the woman constable holds my hand and twists it. They were pushing and pulling me. I lost my balance and fell on the young man," she said.  

"One question that needs to be asked is, what provoked these policemen to target me," the Congress leader said.

She has been charged under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code which punishes assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty.

Renuka Chowdhury called the First Information Report, or FIR, filed by the police political opportunism.

"I will face the FIR. The FIR is political opportunism by the TRS government," Ms Chowdhury said.

The protest was organised as part of “Chalo Raj Bhavan” call given by the Congress party to protest Rahul Gandhi's questioning by the ED. He is being questioned by the agency in connection with a money-laundering case pertaining to the National Herald-AJL deal.