Rahul Gandhi and Opposition Lawmakers Detained During Election Commission Protest
Indian police detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several lawmakers on Wednesday during a protest calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The detentions came for the third time in two days as opposition parties continued demonstrations over changes to India’s electoral rolls. The protesters have raised concerns about the revision process and questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission.
Opposition lawmakers, along with student and youth groups, have been holding demonstrations demanding action against the election chief following reports about disagreements within the Election Commission over the updating of voter lists.
Rahul Gandhi and other opposition lawmakers had also protested on Tuesday and sought a meeting with the chief election commissioner and other officials. Police later dispersed the gathering and briefly detained the protesters.
Wednesday’s demonstration began after a meeting of opposition lawmakers in central Delhi. The group planned to move towards Jantar Mantar, an area designated for public protests.
Gandhi told reporters that the opposition wanted to demonstrate at the officially designated location and raise its concerns about the election process.
He also accused the election authorities of failing to protect the integrity of the electoral system and called for Kumar’s resignation.
As the lawmakers travelled towards the protest site, Congress supporters walked alongside their vehicle. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in large numbers, while access to the road leading to Jantar Mantar was restricted.
The situation escalated when Gandhi and other opposition leaders left the vehicle and joined protesters on the road. Visuals later showed security personnel taking Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other lawmakers into separate vehicles.
Police had not immediately issued a detailed statement regarding the detentions.
The protests represent another political challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, with the opposition increasing pressure over the voter-list revision process.
The Election Commission and India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have rejected allegations of wrongdoing. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has not publicly commented on the latest protests.
