Delhi Police detained senior opposition MPs, including the Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, Monday morning as their protests over the Election Commission’s ‘collusion’ with the ruling BJP spilled over into the streets of central Delhi, reports NDTV.
Among others detained were Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and his Samajwadi Party counterpart, Akhilesh Yadav, as well as another Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Priyanka Chaturvedi.
As Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues were bussed away, he told reporters climbing over each to get a quote, ‘This fight is not political it is to save the Constitution. The fight is for ‘one person, one vote’.’
‘The reality is they cannot talk the truth is in front of the country,’ he declared.
Joint Commissioner of Police Deepak Purohit confirmed the detention, telling reporters, ‘Detained INDIA bloc leaders have been taken to a nearby police station.’
Purohit said the opposition did not have police permission for a protest of this scale, and that only a group of 30 MPs had been allowed to march to the Election Commission and submit a complaint.
‘The Election Commission said 30 MPs could visit them but over 200 came marching. We stopped them to prevent any breakdown of law-and-order.
They were then detained. Some MPs tried jumping barricades.. they were also detained,’ Deputy Commissioner of Police Devesh Kumar Mahla said.
Visuals from the protest site outside the Parliament building showed a small army of politicians and party workers, many waving placards, shouting slogans, and pushing back against police barricades.
Another visual showed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav climbing over two police barricades.
And there was yet more drama after the Trinamool said two MPs, including Mahua Moitra, fainted.
The BJP hit back by labelling the opposition leaders’ protest march a ‘well-thought’ out strategy’ to create a ‘state of anarchy’. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed Rahul Gandhi, telling reporters, ‘The country can see who is working against the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi.’
‘The voter revision in Bihar is not happening for the first time. Congress lies about EVMs (electronic voting machines), raises Maharashtra elections. It is their well-thought-out strategy to create anarchy...’
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju also criticised the opposition and declared the government would not tolerate further attacks on the Election Commission.
The Congress-led INDIA bloc began the day with plans for a march to the poll panel’s office.
