Delhi Police personnel removed several INDIA bloc MPs including opposition leaders Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi from the site near Jantar Mantar on Wednesday as INDIA bloc MPs were stopped from proceeding to the designated protest site.
Opposition MPs alleged that they were beaten by police personnel and stopped from moving towards Jantar Mantar, where they had planned to protest against the CEC. Bus tyres carrying Congress leaders were also punctured by supporters during the protest.
Besides Congress leaders, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien was also detained during the protest.
Prior to her detention, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused police personnel of manhandling opposition MPs during their attempt to reach Jantar Mantar to meet the Election Commission.
“This is how they treat Members of Parliament who are asking simply to meet the Election Commissioner. This is how they treat us. They are beating MPs. The policemen have scratched me all over. They have thrown us to the ground. Now, we are not going to move from here. Let them crawl their forces back. I will not move from here,” she said, fearlessly facing the cops.
Rahul Gandhi, following lunch at Sagar Ratna in Delhi, said around 300 MPs would gather at the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar after they were not allowed to hold a protest at the Election Commission office on Wednesday.
Briefing reporters, he said, “Today, our plan is to go to the designated protest site, Jantar Mantar, and sit there together once again, and tell the country that, for us, Gyanesh Kumar is not the legitimate Election Commissioner of the country.”
The protest announcement was made by party president Mallikarjun Kharge following the lunch.