Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, his sister and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Opposition leaders participating in street protests in New Delhi were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday, October 6, evening. They were released a few hours later.
Rahul Gandhi and his supporters were holding a sit-in near the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar when the detention took place, around 8 pm. Rahul and Priyanka were dragged away by police personnel as Congress workers tried to stop them. The siblings were bundled into a bus and taken away to Kingsway Camp Police Station in north Delhi.
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The Gandhi siblings had led a demonstration from Parliament House to ECI headquarters—a one-km distance—along with hundreds of their supporters a few hours earlier.
Several opposition MPs were also detained by Delhi police and taken away in buses to different police stations. Other Opposition politicians detained along with the Gandhi siblings included Akhilesh Yadav, Kalyan Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O’Brien, P Santosh, Imran Masood, and A Rahim. Police also detained All India Bloc members who were inside Akashvani Bhavan and took them away in buses.
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The police action started when the protest escalated as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entered Akashvani Bhawan premises along with Congress supporters while attempting to reach the ECI headquarters.
During the protests earlier on the day, the Opposition leaders climbed atop barricades put up by police and said they would intensify the protests till they were allowed to meet CEC Gyanesh Kumar and tell him he committed “vote theft” through the alleged irregularities in SIR.
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Tuesday’s protests were the latest in a series of demonstrations led by student groups, Opposition parties and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters that started last week demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
“I have no interest in what BJP is saying. I’m standing here to save democracy. Other MPs are also trying the same,” said Rahul Gandhi to reporters while inside Akashvani Bhawan. Congress leaders Pawan Khera and other party workers were also present on Akash Vani premises.
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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was also among the Opposition politicians detained, told reporters at the beginning of the march, “The election commission is a puppet in the hands of the government.”
“Those who taught Gyanesh Kumar how to commit ‘vote theft’ are the biggest thieves. We will continue to fight against these thieves. Today, the people of the country are realising that their votes are being stolen and their freedom is coming to an end. The Constitution was created through the hard work of Gandhiji, Nehruji, Baba Saheb Ambedkarji, and other leaders, but this government is determined to destroy it,” said Kharge.
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BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, speaking to reporters before the protest began, said, “After failing multiple times, Congress leaders have decided to establish anarchy in the country and attack institutions”.
