Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen lying on the ground as Delhi Police detained several INDIA bloc MPs who were marching towards Jantar Mantar to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Police personnel later removed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the site near Jantar Mantar. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was also detained.
According to Congress, Priyanka Gandhi said, “I will not move from here. This is how they treat MPs who simply want to meet the Election Commission. This is how they beat up MPs. Women police personnel have scratched me all over and thrown us to the ground. Let them call their forces back.”
Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi accused the Centre of “hooliganism” after opposition MPs were stopped from proceeding towards the protest site.
Channi said, "We want to go towards the ECI office; this government has resorted to hooliganism. There is no democracy. We are being stopped."
Congress MP Pawan Khera also questioned the police action, saying the MPs were exercising their constitutional right to protest.
Khera said, "It is our democratic right; we are fighting for this right. Article 19 grants us permission to protest in this manner, and Jantar Mantar is a designated spot; if we cannot stage a protest here, then where else can we do it? We are fighting for our rights—fighting for the rights of the country's voters—yet every time, we are being stopped in this struggle. We are being prevented from even entering this designated protest site, Jantar Mantar; Members of Parliament are being stopped from entering. It is not the Delhi Police's fault; their boss is a coward."
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha alleged that force was used by the police and said the agitation was not limited to CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Jha told reporters, "This is a launch. Not just Gyanesh Kumar; this Government is going out now. They are launching a lathi charge on the soul of India, on the democracy of India. Shame on such people."
Heavy security was deployed near Jantar Mantar as INDIA bloc MPs moved towards the designated protest site against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Earlier in the afternoon, the INDIA bloc MPs attended a meeting convened by Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the issue concerning the CEC.
The latest action comes a day after opposition leaders held a protest march and dharna at Akashvani Bhawan. The INDIA bloc has since intensified its agitation and moved towards Jantar Mantar.