A planned demonstration by opposition lawmakers marching against the Election Commission ran into heavy security cordons on Delhi streets, leading to high drama and the eventual detention of prominent figures including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The delegation had boarded multiple buses from Sagar Ratna with the intention of demonstrating at Jantar Mantar and seeking an audience with the poll body. However, their convoy was intercepted well before reaching the protest site, sparking intense confrontations between elected representatives and security personnel before police placed key leaders into separate buses.
Sloganeering from Rooftops Amid Strict Barricades
The sudden stoppage of the buses triggered instant escalation as Congress MPs Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Deepender Singh Hooda, Imran Pratapgarhi, and Imran Masood climbed onto the rooftops of the stranded vehicles. Standing atop the buses, the leaders chanted slogans condemning administrative overreach. Providing context on the journey, Congress MP K. Suresh explained that parliamentarians had systematically set out from Sagar Ratna, only to face arbitrary blockades along the route. Suresh maintained that the collective objective was strictly to assemble at the designated demonstration venue of Jantar Mantar to log their dissent.
Lathi Charge Accusations and Resignation Demands
Among those apprehended was Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha, who levied grave allegations of brute force against the police. Jha claimed that demonstrators were subjected to a barbaric lathi charge, calling it an unprecedented sight after many years. He directly singled out Gyanesh Kumar, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the crackdown, remarking that the administrative action exposed the government's true posture. Stepping off the bus, Jha emphasized that this movement transcended individual grievances against Gyanesh Kumar, framing the police action as an assault on the very soul of democracy. Echoing this stance, CPI MP P. Santhosh Kumar declared that rounding up parliamentarians would not shield Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his immediate resignation while terming the resistance an essential battle to rescue constitutional values.
Opposition Unity and Claims of a Fortress Capital
Projecting a united front amid the turmoil, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien affirmed that the alliance remained steadfastly bonded and determined to sustain the fight without any personal ego. Meanwhile, Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan attacked the ruling establishment for turning Delhi into a virtual garrison. Ranjan noted that police squads appeared deployed round the clock merely to stalk and suppress opposition leaders who simply sought peaceful assembly at Jantar Mantar and an appointment with the Election Commission. She alleged that authorities preferred suppressing democratic voices and misleading the public over answering pressing institutional questions.
Detention of Rahul, Priyanka, and Lawmakers
As tensions flared near Jantar Mantar, police formally took Rahul Gandhi into custody, prompting outrage among coalition MPs who accused law enforcement personnel of physical assault and obstruction. Concurrently, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was escorted into a separate transport bus. Questioning the heavy-handed intervention as she exited the area, she challenged the legitimacy of the administration's conduct. Former Chief Minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi reiterated that the lawmakers merely intended to advance peacefully toward the Election Commission premises, lamenting that autocratic barriers indicated democracy had ceased to exist in the nation.
