Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Detained During High-Voltage Delhi Protest
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra detained by Delhi Police following a massive dharna against the Chief Election Commissioner.
In a dramatic escalation of political tensions in the national capital, senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by the Delhi Police from the vicinity of Akashvani Bhawan. The detention follows a massive sit-in protest, or dharna, launched by the opposition against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The high-stakes confrontation unfolded as several prominent leaders from the INDIA bloc attempted to march toward Nirvachan Sadan. After being intercepted and stopped by authorities, the leaders shifted their demonstration to Akashvani Bhawan, leading to a tense standoff with law enforcement. New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sachin Sharma was on the ground to oversee the situation as the police moved to detain the protesters.
Massive Detentions Amidst 'Save Democracy' Campaign
The crackdown saw several heavyweights of the Congress party taken into custody. Among those detained alongside the Gandhi siblings were:
- Pawan Khera (Congress MP)
- KC Venugopal (Congress MP)
- Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (Congress MP)
The unrest was not limited to senior leadership; earlier in the day, Delhi Police had also detained several Youth Congress and NSUI members, including IYC President Uday Bhanu Chib, outside the Akashvani Bhawan premises. This surge of activity is part of the opposition's broader "Save Democracy" campaign, a series of demonstrations aimed at challenging the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls.
"We Will Not Budge": Opposition Stands Firm
Despite the police intervention, the spirit of the protest remained defiant. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, who was part of the sit-in, made it clear that the party had no intention of retreating. Taking to the social media platform X, Venugopal posted a resolute message: “Unmoved. Unfazed. We will not budge until our demands are met. We will not rest until our democracy is saved from the Vote Chors.”
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had delivered a blistering critique of the central government. He challenged the Election Commissioners to directly engage with opposition leaders and address their concerns regarding the SIR process. Gandhi went a step further, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of "hijacking" the nation and compromising the integrity of the electoral system.
Fact Check: Clarifying Rumours of Ministry Intervention
As the situation unfolded, social media was flooded with unverified claims suggesting that the Union Home Ministry had reached out to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to negotiate an end to the impasse. However, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit quickly moved to debunk these reports.
The PIB clarified that these claims were misleading and unverified. According to the official fact-check, the Congress leaders have remained steadfast in their communication with officials, stating they will continue their protest until they are granted a meeting with the Election Commissioners to discuss the electoral roll revisions.