Rahul & other MPs detained during protest march to EC; Akhilesh jumps barricade
In a dramatic turn of events, opposition MPs, including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, as well as Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, were detained by Delhi Police on Monday while they were protesting against the Special Summary Revision (SSR) exercise in Bihar. The MPs were staging a march from Parliament to the Election Commission (EC) against the alleged voter theft.
The protest march was aimed at drawing attention to the alleged irregularities in the SSR exercise, which is being conducted by the Bihar government. The opposition parties have been accusing the government of tampering with the electoral rolls and trying to disenfranchise certain sections of voters.
As the MPs reached the Parliament Street, they were met with a heavy deployment of police personnel, who had put up barricades to prevent them from proceeding further. Despite the police attempts to block their way, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, and other opposition MPs, including SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, refused to back down.
In a show of defiance, Akhilesh Yadav jumped over the barricade, accompanied by some of the other protesting MPs. The police, however, quickly responded by detaining the MPs and taking them into custody.
Rahul Gandhi, who was at the forefront of the protest, was seen shouting slogans and trying to push through the police barricades. “We will not let the EC be silenced. We will not let the government tamper with the electoral rolls,” he was heard saying.
The police, however, were firm in their resolve to prevent the MPs from proceeding further. “We cannot allow the MPs to disrupt the normal functioning of the government and the EC,” said a police officer. “We have to maintain law and order, and ensure that the SSR exercise is completed smoothly.”
The opposition parties, however, have been accusing the government of trying to stifle their voices and silence them. “The government is trying to suppress our voices, but we will not be silenced,” said Sanjay Raut. “We will continue to fight for the rights of the people and ensure that the EC is not compromised.”
The protest march was supported by several other opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, and the Bahujan Samaj Party. The MPs from these parties also joined the protest march and were detained by the police along with the other opposition leaders.
The detention of the MPs has sparked a controversy, with many questioning the need for such a harsh response. “The police action against the MPs is unjustified and undemocratic,” said a Congress spokesperson. “The MPs have every right to protest and raise their voices against the alleged irregularities in the SSR exercise.”
The EC, meanwhile, has denied any wrongdoing and has assured that the SSR exercise is being conducted in a free and fair manner. “The SSR exercise is being conducted as per the law and the EC is ensuring that the electoral rolls are updated accurately,” said a senior EC official.
The opposition parties, however, are not convinced and have demanded that the EC take action against the government officials who are allegedly involved in the irregularities.
As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve in the coming days. One thing is clear, however – the opposition parties will not back down until they have achieved their goal of ensuring that the EC is not compromised and the SSR exercise is conducted in a free and fair manner.
