Rahul & other MPs detained during protest march to EC; Akhilesh jumps barricade
In a show of opposition unity, a group of lawmakers, including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, as well as Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, were detained by the Delhi Police on Monday while they were staging a protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission. The protest was held against the alleged voter theft in Bihar, which has been a contentious issue in the state.
The lawmakers, who were part of a delegation, had gathered in front of Parliament to start their march to the EC office, but were stopped by the police midway. Despite being detained, the MPs refused to budge, vowing to continue their fight against the alleged voter theft.
The protest was sparked by the recent exercise conducted by the Bihar government, known as the Sampurna Internerakshak (SIR) exercise, which aimed to upgrade the state’s voter list. However, the opposition parties have accused the government of using this exercise to steal voters’ data and disenfranchise certain communities.
Rahul Gandhi, who was leading the protest, attacked the Bihar government for its alleged malpractices and demanded that the EC take immediate action to stop the voter theft. “The Bihar government has resorted to cheating and has stolen the voters’ data. We will not let this happen,” he said.
Priyanka Gandhi, who was also part of the delegation, accused the government of trying to suppress the voices of the people. “The people of Bihar have been demanding justice, but the government is trying to silence them. We will not let this happen,” she said.
Sanjay Raut, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, also joined the protest, criticizing the Bihar government for its alleged attempts to rig the voter list. “The people of Bihar have been cheated, and the government is trying to cover up this scam. We demand that the EC takes immediate action to stop this,” he said.
SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, who was also part of the protest, jumped over a barricade to reach the police line, where he was later detained. He was seen arguing with the police personnel, demanding that they allow the protest to continue.
The protest was attended by several other opposition MPs, including those from the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The lawmakers carried placards and banners, demanding that the EC take action against the alleged voter theft.
The detention of the MPs sparked protests from the opposition parties, who accused the Delhi Police of being biased and trying to suppress their voices. The police, however, maintained that they had to take action to maintain law and order.
The incident has once again highlighted the ongoing political tensions in Bihar, where the opposition parties are accusing the government of trying to rig the voter list to their advantage. The EC has ordered an inquiry into the allegations, but the opposition parties are demanding more stringent action to stop the alleged voter theft.
In the meantime, the protest by the lawmakers has sent a strong message to the government and the EC, demanding that they take immediate action to address the concerns of the people. The opposition parties are likely to continue their protests until their demands are met, and the issue is resolved.
News Source: https://x.com/ANI/status/1954798702993846680
