Rahul & other MPs detained during protest march to EC; Akhilesh jumps barricade
In a significant development, several opposition MPs, including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, were detained by the Delhi Police on Monday while they were staging a protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission against the alleged voter theft in Bihar.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Bihar has been facing criticism for its decision to conduct the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls, which has been dubbed as a move to rig the elections. The opposition parties have been protesting against this move, claiming that it is aimed at disenfranchising a large number of voters, particularly those from the minority communities.
The protest march, which was led by Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, was meant to highlight the issue and demand that the Election Commission take immediate action to stop the SSR exercise. However, the Delhi Police, which was deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order, refused to let the MPs proceed with their march.
As the MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, reached the barricades set up by the police, they were detained and taken away in buses. Sanjay Raut, who was also among the detained MPs, was seen arguing with the police officers before being taken away.
However, not everyone was willing to be detained quietly. Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, was seen jumping over a barricade to join the protest march. He was later taken away by the police, but his action was seen as a bold statement against the government’s attempts to suppress the voices of the opposition.
The detention of the MPs has sparked widespread outrage, with many opposition leaders and activists taking to social media to condemn the move. The Congress Party, which has been leading the protest against the SSR exercise, has accused the BJP government of trying to muzzle the opposition by detaining its leaders.
“This is a clear attempt to suppress the voices of the opposition and prevent us from highlighting the truth about the SSR exercise,” said a Congress leader. “The BJP government is scared of the truth and is trying to intimidate us, but we will not be deterred.”
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has also condemned the detention of its leader Sanjay Raut, saying that it is a clear example of the government’s dictatorial tendencies. “Sanjay Raut is a respected leader and he has been detained for doing his duty,” said a Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson. “This is a clear example of the government’s attempts to suppress the voices of the opposition.”
The detention of the MPs has also raised questions about the freedom of speech and expression in the country. The opposition parties have accused the government of trying to stifle their voices and silence them through arbitrary detention and arrest.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what will happen to the MPs who were detained. Will they be released soon, or will they be kept in custody for an extended period? Only time will tell.
