Rahul, Priyanka detained as INDIA bloc march to Election Commission stopped

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among several Opposition leaders detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after INDIA bloc MPs attempting to march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters were stopped by security personnel in central Delhi.

The protest witnessed a dramatic face-off near the NITI Aayog office, where Opposition MPs sat on the road after barricades prevented them from proceeding towards Nirvachan Sadan. Rahul climbed atop one of the barricades and waved the Tricolour before police brought him down and moved to detain the protesting leaders.

March stopped near NITI Aayog

The INDIA bloc MPs had gathered at Parliament’s Makar Dwar before setting out towards the Election Commission headquarters. They were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Heavy security arrangements had been put in place around Parliament Street and the Election Commission headquarters ahead of the march. Police barricades were erected along the route and security personnel were deployed in large numbers.

The march was stopped in front of the NITI Aayog office, on the stretch leading towards Akashvani Bhawan and Nirvachan Sadan. Opposition MPs subsequently sat on the road and began a dharna.

Among those participating were Trinamool Congress leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several Congress MPs.

Rahul climbs barricade

As the confrontation with police intensified, Rahul and Abhishek Banerjee climbed onto a police barricade. Rahul stood on top waving the national flag as Opposition MPs continued raising slogans against the Election Commission.

Police personnel later brought Rahul down from the barricade and escorted him towards a bus being used to remove detained protesters from the area.

Rahul also carried a placard reading, “Gyanesh, it’s done bro!” and posted the same message on social media while calling upon the CEC to resign.

The demand for Kumar’s resignation is part of the Opposition’s political campaign against the Election Commission over its handling of the SIR. The poll body has rejected allegations that the revision exercise was designed to manipulate electoral rolls.

Priyanka taken to bus

Priyanka was initially escorted by police to one of the buses being used for the detained MPs. She was subsequently seen getting off the bus and joining Rahul near Akashvani Bhawan.

Rahul, Priyanka and Congress MP Deepender Hooda then entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises through the reception gate. Akashvani Bhawan is located adjacent to the Election Commission headquarters.

The Congress leaders sat under a tree inside the premises and insisted that they wanted to proceed to Nirvachan Sadan to meet the Election Commissioners.

Police officers repeatedly asked them to leave the premises, but the leaders continued their sit-in. Senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Pawan Khera were also present as the stand-off continued.

Akhilesh, TMC leaders detained

Police also detained Akhilesh Yadav, Derek O’Brien, Abhishek Banerjee and several other Opposition MPs after the march was stopped.

The leaders were taken away in buses as police sought to clear the protest site. The detentions came after the MPs refused to disperse and continued their sit-in on the road.

The Opposition questioned why elected MPs were prevented from reaching the Election Commission to submit their demands.

Rahul asked why the poll panel was unwilling to meet nearly 300 Opposition MPs who, according to him, had come to raise concerns over electoral rolls.

CEC resignation sought

The protest was centred on the Opposition’s demand for Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR process and a controversy surrounding Form 6, the statutory application used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls.

Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of making changes during the revision exercise that could result in eligible voters being excluded. The Commission has rejected allegations of deliberate disenfranchisement and maintained that the SIR is intended to ensure accurate electoral rolls.

The confrontation intensified after the Supreme Court said it had not approved any modified version of Form 6 and indicated that it would examine the Election Commission’s records to determine whether changes had been made and, if so, who had authorised them.

The court’s observations did not constitute a finding against Kumar. The legal questions surrounding the Form 6 changes remain under judicial consideration.

Rahul targets poll panel

During the protest, Rahul stepped up his attack on Kumar and questioned the Election Commission’s handling of the controversy.

He also levelled allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in connection with what the Congress has described as “vote chori”. These remain political allegations and have not been established as findings by a court or other competent authority.

The BJP has rejected the Opposition’s allegations and accused the Congress and its allies of attacking constitutional institutions for political reasons.

The Election Commission has also rejected suggestions of an internal split over the SIR and maintained that decisions concerning the exercise were taken collectively.

Sit-in prolongs stand-off

What began as a march from Parliament consequently developed into a prolonged confrontation around the Election Commission and Akashvani Bhawan.

Even after several INDIA bloc MPs had been detained and taken away, Rahul and Priyanka continued their protest near the poll panel’s headquarters, insisting that the Opposition should be allowed to meet the Election Commissioners.

The detentions marked a fresh escalation in the political battle over the SIR, which has moved from court proceedings and statements by political parties to sustained street protests.

Opposition parties have indicated that their campaign over voter-list revisions and their demand for Kumar’s resignation will continue, while the Election Commission has maintained that the electoral roll exercise is being conducted in accordance with law.