Agencies | New Delhi:
Congress Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday evening amid an Opposition protest over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Congress sources said.
Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, the outgoing president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, was also seen accompanying Rahul Gandhi as police officers urged the protesters to end their sit-in.
Police had earlier announced that the demonstration at Akashvani Bhawan would not be permitted to continue overnight and asked the protesters to vacate the premises. Officials warned that those refusing to disperse would be detained.
The Congress had earlier alleged that Delhi Police was preparing to detain Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition MPs gathered at the venue.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of being “incompetent” and asserted that Gyanesh Kumar “will not be spared”.
“We want to meet the CEC. We have no hope from the government,” she told CNN-News18.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other Opposition MPs were earlier stopped on Parliament Street near Akashvani Bhawan and the NITI Aayog office while attempting to march towards the Election Commission.
After being prevented from proceeding further, the leaders sat on the road and staged a protest. Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee were subsequently seen climbing over a police barricade, while Priyanka Gandhi was taken to a waiting police bus for detention.
She later got off the bus and rejoined Rahul Gandhi near the Akashvani gate.
Despite being stopped by police, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises through the reception gate. The leaders were later seen sitting under a tree as the protest continued.
Congress leader Pawan Khera while talking with media said that all the protesters had been detained and taken to an undisclosed location.
“We were not allowed to meet the EC and were suddenly detained by Delhi Police,” Khera said, adding that Rahul Gandhi had requested the police to provide the protesters with an alternative place to continue their demonstration.
Khera said the Congress would organise further protests, asserting that the party had a history of “protesting for the country”. He also claimed that Opposition parties had become aware of what was happening in the Election Commission.
The Opposition has been protesting over the SIR exercise and has sought greater transparency in the electoral-roll revision process, along with a meeting with the Election Commission to present its concerns.
