Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi detained as police stop INDIA bloc march to Election Commission
Opposition leaders sat on the road after police halted their march from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters in Delhi, and several MPs were detained.
Delhi witnessed a charged atmosphere on Tuesday as the INDIA bloc held a protest. Leaders of the alliance marched from the Parliament complex towards the Election Commission headquarters. When police did not let the march proceed, several leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, sat on the road in a dharna.
The opposition has three demands. It wants Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar removed from office, the SIR (special intensive revision) process scrapped completely, and elections held by ballot paper instead of EVMs. INDIA bloc MPs were to begin the march from the Makar Dwar of Parliament House, carrying a "Save Democracy" banner. Delhi Police had made heavy arrangements from the Parliament complex to Jantar Mantar and the Election Commission headquarters. Barricading had been put up in several layers at Vijay Chowk and nearby, and prohibitory orders were imposed in some areas.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge joined the march along with several other leaders and MPs of the alliance. After the march began, security forces stopped the opposition from going towards the Commission's office. A large crowd gathered at the barricades near the NITI Aayog office. Some Samajwadi Party MPs were seen climbing a barricade. Rahul Gandhi also climbed a police barricade and waved the tricolour. The opposition leaders then sat on the road and police detained several MPs.
Amid slogans against the Chief Election Commissioner, Rahul Gandhi tried to enter Akashvani Bhawan, accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi. Police detained both and seated them in a bus. Congress workers tried to stop the bus. Police also detained some NSUI and Indian Youth Congress workers who had entered Akashvani Bhawan and took them out of the premises in a bus.
After the march began, Rahul Gandhi posted on X, addressing Gyanesh Kumar: "Gyanesh, your game is over now, it is time to resign."
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the opposition would not boycott elections but would defeat them through votes. He said both the BJP and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would have to go. He also questioned the Commission's functioning and alleged that it behaved as though only BJP members were Indian citizens and only they had the right to vote. Yadav alleged booth capturing by force in Bengal. He also claimed irregularities in the Kundarki and Mirapur elections in Uttar Pradesh and in the Ayodhya and Ambedkar Nagar bypolls.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition was fighting against injustice. He alleged that the government was snatching people's rights and said the opposition was fighting for the rights of ordinary people.
Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) questioned the security arrangements in Delhi. He claimed that excessive security had been deployed for the protest. He said security had been increased from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters and the homes of ministers. According to Raut, the BSF had been deployed and thousands of CISF personnel had also been called in. Raut said: "We are MPs and representatives of the country, we have no weapons, we will only go to the Commission's office and demand that Gyanesh Kumar resign." He also alleged that Gyanesh Kumar lacks moral authority.
MDMK MP Durai Vaiko also demanded Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. He claimed that the entire opposition, barring a few parties, was united. Vaiko alleged that Gyanesh Kumar had acted against the Constitution by taking unilateral decisions. He said the Supreme Court had not approved any change to Form 6. Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury alleged that ordinary citizens' votes and constitutional rights were being taken away. She said it was her responsibility as an MP to raise the voice of the common people. She also claimed that lakhs of names had been deleted from voter lists in West Bengal.
BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra commented on the opposition before the march. He said: "It is not Gyanesh-ji but Ganesh-ji who is helping us." Patra said Ganesh is the god of knowledge, wisdom and discernment, and claimed that the people of India have wisdom, knowledge and discernment. He also said the public would not vote for dynastic politics, corruption and those who stand in support of terrorists. According to Patra, the public would vote for the one who says the country will not be allowed to bow.
BJP MP Jagadish Shettar also reacted to the Congress protest. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi has no issue and is therefore only seeking publicity. Shettar said SIR is the correct process and that matters relating to Form 6 and Form 7 are before the Supreme Court, which, he said, would decide on them. He alleged that the opposition was needlessly creating problems against the Constitution and legal process.
