Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, and several INDIA bloc MPs were detained by Delhi Police on Monday during a protest march against the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar and alleged “voter fraud” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, TMC MP Sagarika Ghose, and other Opposition lawmakers were among those taken into custody and escorted in buses to the Parliament Street police station.
Addressing reporters before his detention, Rahul Gandhi asserted that the protest was not a political battle but a fight to protect India’s Constitution and ensure fair elections. “This fight is for ‘One Man, One Vote’. We want a clean, pure voters’ list,” he said. Priyanka Gandhi accused the government of acting out of fear, remarking, “Dare hue hai. Sarkaar kaayar hai.”
The march saw dramatic moments as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav jumped over police barricades to continue the protest, accusing authorities of using police to obstruct a peaceful demonstration. NCP MP Supriya Sule stressed that Mahatma Gandhi remained their guiding inspiration.
Senior leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, joined the protest, which began from Parliament’s Makar Dwar. MPs raised slogans of “vote chor” as they attempted to reach Nirvachan Sadan, but police blocked their path, citing the absence of permission for the march.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the Congress of misleading the public and attempting to create unrest. “If anyone is working against the Constitution, it is led by Rahul Gandhi… This is part of a calculated strategy to spread lies and cause anarchy,” he said.