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Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Akhilesh Yadav among Opposition leaders detained near NITI Aayog during the ECI march. (Img: X)
New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav, along with other Opposition leaders, were detained on Tuedsday after the INDIA bloc’s protest march towards the Election Commission was stopped by security personnel in the national capital. The Opposition leaders had marched from Parliament demanding accountability from the poll panel over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The march, involving several prominent INDIA bloc leaders and MPs, was halted near NITI Aayog as heavy security deployment and multiple barricades blocked the protesters from proceeding towards the Election Commission headquarters. The confrontation soon escalated into a sit-in protest, with Opposition leaders raising slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Opposition’s march began from the Parliament complex as INDIA bloc leaders sought to take their protest directly to the Election Commission. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule and other leaders participated in the demonstration.
Security forces stopped the protesters near NITI Aayog, preventing them from moving further towards the Election Commission office. The area witnessed a heavy deployment of Delhi Police and central security personnel, with layers of barricading put in place along the route.
The situation intensified after the march was stopped, with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra detained by police as Opposition leaders continued their protest.
The detention of the two senior Congress leaders added another flashpoint to the already tense demonstration, as Opposition MPs refused to disperse and instead continued their sit-in against the Election Commission.
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly targeted the poll panel over alleged irregularities in electoral-roll revision, while the Opposition has demanded greater transparency in the SIR exercise.
After the march was blocked, INDIA bloc leaders and MPs staged a dharna at the spot. Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party MPs in the protest, while other Opposition leaders joined the sit-in. He was also detained and stuffed in a bus later. The detainees are expected to be taken to the Sansad marg police station for further proceedings.
After detention, Akhilesh Yadav termed the agitation as a 'movement' to protect India and safeguard the Constitution.
The protesters raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls and questioned the Election Commission’s handling of the SIR process. The Opposition has also stepped up its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The demonstration turned into a major show of Opposition unity, with several parties putting up a coordinated challenge against the Election Commission.
The Election Commission headquarters and surrounding areas were placed under heavy security cover ahead of the march. Delhi Police and central forces erected multiple layers of barricades to prevent the protesters from reaching the poll panel’s office.
The security arrangements resulted in the march being halted several hundred metres short of its intended destination. As the protesters remained at the spot, the political confrontation intensified.
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has emerged as one of the biggest political flashpoints between the Opposition and the Election Commission.
Opposition parties have alleged that the exercise could lead to the deletion of legitimate voters and have questioned the manner in which voter verification and documentation are being carried out.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that electoral-roll revision is part of the constitutional process of ensuring accurate and updated voter lists.
The protest also highlighted shifting equations within the Opposition camp. The Biju Janata Dal joined the demonstration, while the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK stayed away from the march.
Despite the absence of some INDIA bloc constituents, the participation of senior Congress, Samajwadi Party and other Opposition leaders gave the protest significant political weight.
The confrontation over electoral-roll revision comes at a politically crucial time, with several Opposition parties already preparing for upcoming Assembly elections.
For the INDIA bloc, the SIR issue has become a broader campaign around electoral transparency and the credibility of the electoral process. For the Election Commission, the controversy has placed its handling of voter-list revision under intense political scrutiny.
The detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra following the blocked march is expected to further sharpen the Opposition’s attack on the Election Commission and intensify the political debate over SIR.
