Police blocks INDIA march to Jantar Mantar; Rahul, Priyanka detained

• Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lies on the road after police stop INDIA bloc buses near Jantar Mantar.

• Rahul Gandhi is detained for the second consecutive day as protest against Gyanesh Kumar escalates.

• Opposition leaders allege police excesses while demanding action over ‘vote chori’ and SIR.

Congress MP and general-secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lay down on the road on Wednesday, 7 October after Delhi Police stopped buses carrying INDIA bloc MPs from reaching Jantar Mantar, triggering another confrontation during the Opposition’s protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was detained for the second consecutive day, according to reports.

The dramatic scenes unfolded as Opposition leaders attempted to resume their agitation at the designated protest site, a day after their march towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters ended in a prolonged sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan and the detention of several MPs, as well as FIRs against Rahul and Priyanka, among others.

The buses were stopped around 100 metres short of Jantar Mantar, with police citing the requirement for prior permission to hold a protest. Priyanka and other women MPs lay on the road after being prevented from proceeding, while some Congress MPs climbed onto the buses.

Rahul was among those detained as the confrontation escalated. Congress workers who climbed onto the buses were also detained, according to reports.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra alleged that Delhi Police personnel had lathi-charged protesters. The allegation could not be independently verified.

The INDIA bloc had decided to move its protest to Jantar Mantar after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted Opposition MPs for lunch earlier in the day. The leaders were seeking to continue their agitation over alleged electoral irregularities and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Earlier, Rahul had said the Opposition would protest at Jantar Mantar, a designated demonstration site, after its attempt to meet election commissioners on Tuesday was unsuccessful. “We want to tell India that Gyanesh Kumar is not a legitimate CEC,” he said, reiterating the demand for the CEC’s resignation.

Rahul had also brushed aside the FIR registered against him, Priyanka and other leaders over their alleged unauthorised entry into Akashvani Bhawan during Tuesday’s protest. “My target is that there should be 100 FIRs against me. Every FIR against me is a medal for me,” he said.

The Opposition’s fresh mobilisation came amid heightened security in central Delhi. On Tuesday, INDIA bloc MPs attempted to march from Parliament towards the ECI headquarters to raise allegations of ‘vote chori’ and demand action over the SIR exercise. After police stopped them, Rahul, Priyanka and other leaders staged a sit-in inside Akashvani Bhawan for more than eight hours before being detained and subsequently released.