Opposition MPs call for march as anti-CEC protests escalate in Delhi
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc leaders were detained on Tuesday as they marched to the Election Commission office demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Around 140 Opposition MPs participated in the march, which began between 10:30 am and 11 am. Security was significantly stepped up across the New Delhi district, with more than five companies of paramilitary personnel and local police deployed along routes from Makar Dwar of Parliament to the Election Commission office.
As police moved in to detain the MPs, Rahul Gandhi climbed onto barricades and waved the Tricolour before being escorted away in a bus. He carried a poster reading "Gyanesh, it's done bro" and posted the slogan on social media, adding "It's time to resign." The MPs were stopped on their route, sat on a dharna, and after a face-off with police were removed from the spot. Multi-layered barricading was placed outside the Election Commission's main entrance and around Jantar Mantar.
The New Delhi district has witnessed protests since October 2 by Left and opposition parties. On October 1, the INDIA bloc announced a joint action plan including nationwide protests, the Opposition MPs' march to EC headquarters, and a mega rally scheduled for November 1.
