Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday climbed a police barricade and waved the national flag during the INDIA bloc’s protest march towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi.
Gandhi was among several Opposition leaders taking part in the march from the Parliament complex to the ECI headquarters, Nirvachan Sadan. The protest was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the voter roll revision exercise, Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
As the protesters moved towards the poll panel’s office, they were stopped by several layers of police barricades. Gandhi, who had made his way through the crowd, climbed onto one of the barricades and waved a large national flag as supporters raised slogans.
The Opposition leaders and workers also carried banners, including those reading "Save Democracy", while raising slogans against Gyanesh Kumar.
Gandhi sits on dharna after being stopped
After the march was halted by security personnel, Gandhi sat on a dharna along with other Opposition leaders. The INDIA bloc has been demanding action over what it alleges are irregularities in the SIR exercise.
The protest drew a large gathering of Opposition leaders and workers outside Parliament as the march headed towards the ECI office.
Priyanka Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee detained
The protest escalated after several Opposition leaders were stopped from proceeding towards the Election Commission.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was briefly detained by police after she was prevented from continuing with the march but later released. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O'Brien and Abhishek Banerjee, along with other Opposition leaders, were detained and taken away in buses after police stopped the INDIA bloc's protest march on Parliament Street. The leaders had staged a dharna demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.