New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was briefly detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after security personnel stopped an INDIA bloc march towards the Election Commission headquarters in the national capital. She was taken inside a police van along with several other protesters before being released.
Videos of the incident have surfaced on social media, showing a high-voltage protest unfolding on the streets of Delhi as opposition MPs were stopped while marching towards the poll panel's office.
Priyanka Gandhi Detained During Protest
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was among the INDIA bloc leaders and workers who were stopped by security personnel during the march. She was subsequently taken into a police van along with other protesters.
Visuals from the spot show Priyanka being escorted towards the vehicle amid slogans and a gathering of opposition supporters. She was later released.
The detention happened after INDIA bloc MPs marched from the Parliament House complex towards the Election Commission headquarters, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Rahul Gandhi, Kharge Lead March
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were among the opposition leaders participating in the protest.
The march was stopped by police on the stretch between NITI Aayog and Akashvani Bhavan, with protesters prevented from proceeding towards the Election Commission headquarters.
After being stopped, opposition MPs sat on the road and staged a dharna. Protesters raised slogans including “BJP hai CEC hai” and “Vote chor, gaddi chhod”, while some carried cutouts depicting Gyanesh Kumar in an RSS uniform.
Why Is INDIA Bloc Protesting?
The opposition's protest is centred on demands for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and allegations concerning the electoral roll revision process.
INDIA bloc parties have raised concerns over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, alleging that the process could result in the deletion of legitimate voters. Opposition leaders have described their broader campaign as a fight against alleged “vote theft”.
The parties have also raised questions over changes to Form 6, which is used for voter registration. They have cited the Supreme Court's observations regarding modified versions of the form being used during the ongoing revision exercise.
The Election Commission has faced sustained criticism from opposition parties over these issues, while the allegations remain contested.
