BREAKING: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav And Several I.N.D.I.A Bloc MPs Detained In Delhi
New Delhi: In a major escalation of the ongoing protest against the Election Commission, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and several MPs of the I.N.D.I.A bloc have been detained by Delhi Police on Saturday.
The leaders were detained while trying to join the Jantar Mantar demonstration called by the CJP and INDIA bloc demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged deletion of 13 crore voters.
The march had begun from Parliament’s Makar Dwar towards Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission headquarters. The MPs were stopped on Parliament Street near the NITI Aayog office and Akashvani Bhawan where heavy barricades had been put up.
After being stopped, the MPs sat on a dharna on the road shouting slogans “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod”. Rahul Gandhi climbed atop a barricade holding the Tricolour.
Police then detained several leaders and took them away in buses. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O’Brien, Abhishek Banerjee, Mahua Moitra, CPM MP John Brittas, Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Imran Masood and others were among those detained.
In a dramatic turn, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi then entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises adjacent to the Election Commission and sat on a dharna under a banyan tree, refusing to leave until a delegation of 300 MPs was allowed to meet CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
After nearly 9-hour dharna, Delhi Police stormed Akashvani Bhawan and forcibly removed them. They were taken to an unknown destination and released later after about two hours, as per earlier similar detention on 6th October.
Delhi Police on Wednesday had registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and others for allegedly entering Akashvani Bhawan without permission and violating prohibitory orders. Police said no permission was sought or granted for the march.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said “EC cannot stand for Election Compromised. We will not allow Democracy to be sold”. Rahul Gandhi said “We are doing this to protect your vote and your freedom. 300 MPs want to meet Gyanesh Kumar but he is scared”.
The detention comes on a day when CJP Chief Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Daas and legal head Ratna Singh were detained from inside an aircraft after landing in Delhi, and former MP Brinda Karat was also detained at Jantar Mantar.
Heavy security continues in Central Delhi with thousands of policemen, 20 companies of CAPF and RAF deployed, even as Supreme Court yesterday barred complete closure of Metro services, saying services must run in a regulated manner.
