Delhi Police have registered a case against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders over their alleged entry into Akashvani Bhawan during Tuesday’s protest against the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The case comes after the leaders staged a sit-in at the premises for more than eight hours before police detained them. They were later released shortly after 10pm, according to the Congress.
The protest was organised by the INDIA bloc, whose Members of Parliament (MPs) marched from Parliament House towards Nirvachan Sadan, the ECI headquarters in New Delhi.
Carrying posters reading “save democracy” and “save my vote”, the opposition MPs raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanded his resignation over allegations of “vote theft”.
The march began at around 10:30am, according to Delhi Police. The protesters crossed the first police barricade and moved towards a second barricade near National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
Police said that no permission had been granted for the march as organisers had not submitted an application to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi district. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were also in force in the New Delhi area.
Police personnel repeatedly announced the restrictions and asked the protesters to disperse but the protesters continued with the march, according to the police.
“Due to the persistent disregard for lawful directives, and with the aim of controlling the situation and maintaining law and order, the police detained the protesters in accordance with the law,” the police said.
Around 260 people, including 10 MPs, were detained and taken to different police stations in Delhi, where police initiated necessary legal proceedings.
Most protesters later left the area. However, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, Pawan Khera, Manish Chatrath and around 50 to 60 supporters entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises without permission and staged a sit-in, according to the police.
Rahul Gandhi refused to leave and said that he would stay until a delegation of MPs was given an appointment with the ECI.
Police later removed Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other protesters from the premises and detained them.
The Congress leaders were released shortly after 10pm following the more than eight-hour sit-in, the party said.
The INDIA bloc has been protesting against the Election Commission and has raised concerns over the electoral roll revision exercise. Tuesday’s march was aimed at taking the protest to the ECI office.
