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)’s Sanjay Raut, were detained by Delhi Police on Monday while they were protesting against the Special Investigation Report (SIR) exercise in Bihar. The MPs were staging a march from Parliament to the Election Commission against the alleged voter theft. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav jumped over a barricade to join the protest.
The SIR exercise, which is aimed at identifying duplicate and fake voters, has been a contentious issue in the country. The opposition parties have been accusing the government of trying to manipulate the electoral process and supress the votes of certain communities. The protest march was an attempt by the opposition to raise their voice against this alleged move and seek the Election Commission’s intervention.
The protest march began from the Parliament premises, where the opposition MPs gathered in large numbers, holding placards and banners. They were accompanied by party workers and supporters who had come from various parts of the country. The march was led by Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Sanjay Raut, who were all vocal in their criticism of the SIR exercise.
As the march reached the Delhi Police barricade near the Parliament, the police tried to stop the MPs from proceeding further. However, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi refused to back down, and they continued to push forward, despite the police attempts to detain them. The police then resorted to lathicharge and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Among the detained MPs were Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Bhupender Yadav, and Sanjay Raut. The police also detained several party workers and supporters who were part of the protest march. Akhilesh Yadav, who was not part of the initial march, later jumped over a barricade to join his party colleagues.
The detention of the MPs has been widely condemned by the opposition parties, who have accused the government of trying to suppress their voices and stifle their right to protest. The Congress Party has called the detention “undemocratic” and “dictatorial”, and has demanded the immediate release of the detained MPs.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has also condemned the detention, and has accused the government of trying to muzzle the opposition. “This is an attack on democracy and the right to protest. We will not be silenced,” said Sanjay Raut.
The Samajwadi Party has also expressed its solidarity with the detained MPs, and has demanded the government to release them immediately. “The government is trying to suppress the voices of the opposition. We will not be intimidated,” said Akhilesh Yadav.
The SIR exercise has been a contentious issue in Bihar, where the opposition parties have been accusing the government of trying to manipulate the electoral process. The exercise has been criticized for its alleged lack of transparency and its potential to disenfranchise certain communities.
The Election Commission has been accused of being complicit in the exercise, and of not taking adequate measures to prevent voter suppression. The opposition parties have been demanding that the Election Commission take immediate action to stop the SIR exercise and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
In conclusion, the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other MPs during the protest march to the Election Commission has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. The opposition parties have accused the government of trying to suppress their voices and stifle their right to protest. The SIR exercise in Bihar has been a contentious issue, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days.
News Source: https://x.com/ANI/status/1954798702993846680
