INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut and Sagarika Ghose, among others, who were protesting during the 'vote chori' march against the Election Commission (ECI), were detained by Delhi Police on Monday, August 11. Visuals shared by the news agency ANI show opposition leaders outside the Parliament building in the National Capital teeming up and sitting on the roads, and others waving flags, pushing back cops and breaking barricades.
The Rahul Gandhi-led INDIA bloc leaders on Monday began a protest march to the ECI's office, which is about a kilometre from the Parliament building. The police responded by blocking ways and routes around the Parliament building and deployed large numbers of security personnel to Gherao opposition politicians and party workers.
"This is not a political fight, it is a fight to protect the Constitution, a fight to save the Constitution, a fight for one man, one vote. That is why we need a clear, pure voter list," Rahul Gandhi said from a police van after detention.
Earlier visuals from protest sites showed senior leaders, like Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, sitting on the roads and surrounded by protesters chanting slogans against the poll panel.
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The drama and protest led to both Houses being adjourned until 2 p.m. The INDIA bloc is protesting 'collusion' between the ruling BJP and the ECI to manipulate voter lists and commit voter fraud during polls. The allegations have been bubbling over since last year's Maharashtra election.
The opposition parties have accused the EC of manipulating voter lists to ensure a BJP victory. They have pointed to apparent discrepancies, like an unusually large number of new voters just six months after the federal election in the state, which the BJP lost.
Last week, Rahul Gandhi attended meetings of the INDIA bloc. He presented data to back his claim of widespread voter fraud and repeated his demand that the poll panel release a searchable draft of voter lists so the opposition can check for errors.