INDIA Bloc Protest: The political tussle over the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll has intensified in New Delhi. On Tuesday, October 6, more than 140 MPs from the INDIA block started a protest march from Parliament House to Election Commission headquarters. However, the Delhi Police stopped the opposition leaders from advancing by barricading the road itself.

Rahul Gandhi stopped by Akashvani Bhavan

During the protest march, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was trying to go towards the Election Commission office from Akashvani Bhavan road. However, the police stopped them near the gate. Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders sat on a dharna a short distance from the Election Commission office. Workers of Congress and youth organizations also reached the spot in large numbers. Rahul Gandhi was seen carrying placards demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the protest. Opposition MPs raised slogans near the police barricade and some leaders climbed the barricade.

Many leaders including Priyanka Gandhi were detained

According to the report, some MPs and leaders of Congress and INDIA block, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained by the police. Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien of the TMC were also reported to have taken police action. At the time of the latest update, Rahul Gandhi was sitting on a dharna at the protest site and was not detained.

More than 3 thousand policemen deployed

Security was beefed up in New Delhi’s Parliament Road, Election Commission office and surrounding areas in view of the opposition march. More than 3,000 policemen were deployed. Along with this, teams of paramilitary forces and police buses were also kept at the spot. Roads leading to the Election Commission were controlled by putting up barricades at various places. According to Delhi Police, necessary permission was not taken for this protest march. Based on this, the police barricaded the march and prevented it from reaching the office of the Election Commission.

Akhilesh Yadav made serious allegations against the Election Commission

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, questioning the impartiality of the Election Commission. The opposition is accusing the Election Commission and the SIR process of bias and malpractices in the voter list. All these allegations are claims made by the opposition.

The agitation is being run by the INDIA bloc over the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, protests against the SIR and alleged ‘vote theft’. On the other hand, the Election Commission has earlier rejected some opposition allegations regarding its decisions.

Political clashes on the streets of Delhi

Following the protest, heavy police presence was seen in the area from the Parliament House to the Election Commission office. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav including many leaders of INDIA block joined the event. The opposition has announced to intensify the agitation by questioning the transparency of the electoral process and the credibility of the voter list.