INDIA bloc stir: Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi detained from Akashwani Bhavan after over 9 hours of sit-in
New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other INDIA bloc leaders were detained by police from the Akashvani Bhawan here on Tuesday, after over nine hours of staging a sit-in at the premises near the ECI’s office.
Earlier in the day, INDIA bloc MPs tried to push open the gates of the Akashvani Bhawan as they intensified their protest against the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Holding tricolours and banners reading ‘Save democracy’, the INDIA bloc MPs on Tuesday commenced their protest march from Parliament to the ECI headquarters. The Opposition leaders raised slogans against the CEC, the BJP and the RSS as they marched towards the ECI headquarters.
In view of the protest, Delhi Police and other security forces had been placed on alert. Barricades were also set up outside the ECI office.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, along with several other INDIA bloc leaders, were also detained briefly during the day after being stopped from heading towards the ECI’s office.
Gandhi was stopped by several layers of police barricades while attempting to proceed towards the ECI headquarters. He subsequently climbed onto one of the barricades and waved a large national flag, drawing loud slogans of support from the INDIA bloc leaders and workers gathered at the spot.
Speaking to reporters from within the premises of the All India Radio (AIR) headquarters earlier on Tuesday, he said around 300 MPs from both Houses of Parliament were stopped from meeting the Election Commission.
He alleged that the MPs wanted to meet CEC Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues but were prevented from proceeding towards the Election Commission’s office.
“Here, there were around 300 MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. We wanted to meet Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues, but the police have stopped us. We are representatives of this country, and we represent the country’s people,” the Leader of Opposition said.
Later, he added: “…Now, if you are not allowing us to come here either, just give us any place in Delhi where we can sit. We will sit comfortably…We are protesting. The Constitution of India allows us to protest.”