Delhi Police arrest Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi

Delhi Police have arrested Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of the opposition party of India and his sister Priyanka Gandhi. They were arrested from a protest procession towards the office of the Election Commission and later a sit-in programme on Tuesday. The alliance of opposition parties ‘INDIA’ was observing this programme raising the demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the allegation of irregularities over the special intensive revision of the voter list.

Under the leadership of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, the leaders of the opposition parties brought out a procession from the Parliament House towards the office of the Election Commission on Tuesday morning. When the police blocked their path with barricades, they took position there. Later the sit-in programme continued in the premises of the Akashvani building. After several hours, the police conducted an operation and removed Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders. It has been learnt from an NDTV report that they were put on a bus.

Congress workers tried to prevent the arrest of Rahul and Priyanka. However, the police removed them from there. Congress sources have informed that Rahul, Priyanka and other leaders were being taken to Kingsway Camp Police Station of North Delhi.

The main demand of this programme was the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Raising the allegation of irregularities in the special intensive revision process of the voter list, the leaders of the ‘INDIA’ alliance had wanted to meet Gyanesh Kumar by going to the office of the Election Commission. Protests of the opposition parties and various organisations have been continuing in Delhi for the past few days in this regard.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had also been put on a police bus for some time at noon on Tuesday. Later they were seen getting down from the bus. Rahul Gandhi raised a question about not being allowed to go there despite the office of the Election Commission being nearby.

Rahul Gandhi told journalists near the Akashvani building that they are not being allowed to go there even though the office of the Election Commission is only 50 metres away.

He said that at least 300 Members of Parliament want to meet the head of the Election Commission, but they are not being given that opportunity. He also raised the question of what democracy means if the representatives of the people cannot meet the Election Commission.

Before the arrest of Rahul and Priyanka in the evening, it was informed from the side of Congress about sending a letter seeking time for a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner and the other two Election Commissioners. A Congress source claimed that if any official of the Election Commission gives an assurance of a meeting within the next one-two days, Rahul Gandhi may withdraw the sit-in programme. However, the condition of giving the opportunity to 300 Members of Parliament to participate in that meeting has been stated.

Earlier, several rounds of arrests have taken place surrounding the protests against the Election Commission in Delhi. About 500 people had been arrested from the protest demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar on October 2. The next day also Delhi Police arrested about one thousand protesters.

Besides Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, leaders of various parties of the ‘INDIA’ alliance participated in the programme on Tuesday. Amid the allegations of the opposition against the Election Commission and their face-to-face position with the police, Rahul, Priyanka and several leaders were finally arrested.