The Opposition MPs were detained while staging a march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters.
Published Aug 11, 2025 | 1:58 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 11, 2025 | 1:58 PM
INDIA bloc MPs protested in front of the Parliament.
Synopsis: The Delhi Police detained the INDIA bloc MPs who were protesting against the alleged “vote theft” during the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and Special Intensive Revision in Bihar. The Opposition MPs were detained while staging a march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India headquarters.
The Delhi Police on Monday, 11 August, detained INDIA bloc MPs, including Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, and others, who were protesting against the alleged “vote theft” during the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.
The Opposition MPs were detained while staging a march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters.
“The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list,” Rahul Gandhi said after he was detained by the police.
On 7 August, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the ECI colluded with the BJP to enact a massive voter fraud to swing election results in favour of the saffron party.
He said that the grand old party analysed the voters’ list and voting data of the Mahadevapura Assembly segment in the Bengaluru Central constituency in Karnataka and found irregularity in 1,00,250 votes.
The MPs detained by Delhi Police were taken to Parliament Street Police Station.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav jumped over a police barricade as Delhi Police stopped the INDIA bloc leaders’ protest.
Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “What he (Rahul Gandhi) has said is true, and my statement is also the same. If a government does not even allow us to approach the Election Commission, I don’t know what the government is afraid of. This is a peaceful demonstration by VVIPs… The Election Commission could have handled things differently. It is not feasible to choose 30 MPs from all alliance parties…”
New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Devesh Kumar Mahla said, “There is a permission for 30 MPs. We will take 30 MPs (to the Election Commission of India) when we get their names.”
Congress General Secretary and party MP KC Venugopal said, “The police and government are not allowing us to march for even 30 seconds. They want to stop us here. What democracy is there in the country? MPs don’t have the freedom to go to the Election Commission. Now they are telling only 30 people can come, but at least allow those 30 people to head to the Election Commission office.”
Deepak Purohit, Joint CP New Delhi, said, “The detained INDIA bloc leaders have been taken to a nearby Police Station. We are still counting the number of MPs detained. There was no permission for a protest here, but we had intimation… If they decide, we will facilitate them to the Election Commission Office. There is a proper police arrangement in the ECI.”
NCP (SCP) MP Supriya Sule said, “We are protesting peacefully. We consider Mahatma Gandhi as our ideal.”
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “The country can see if there is anyone who is working against the Constitution, it is led by Rahul Gandhi. SIR is not happening for the first time in the country. Congress lies about EVMs, raises the issue of Maharashtra elections, Haryana elections and creates a mountain of lies.
Pradhan claimed that it was their (the Opposition’s) well-thought-out strategy to create a state of anarchy.
“I appeal to the Opposition and the Congress party to raise all issues in Parliament. During the discussion on Operation Sindoor in Parliament, the Opposition and Congress had no agenda.”
After being detained by Delhi Police, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala said, “Will the prison bars be able to stop Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition. ‘Ab ek hi naara hai- Bol raha hai poora desh, vote hamara choo ke dekh‘. (There’s only one slogan now. The whole nation is saying, try to snatch away our votes…) The people of this country have rejected the partnership of the Modi government and the ECI.”
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “Dare hue hai. Sarkaar kaayar hai (They are frightened. The government is cowardly.)”
Telangana Congress President B Mahesh Kumar Goud said the arrest of the MPs was an undemocratic act.
He said that it was illegal and undemocratic to arrest MPs who were going to ensure that the Election Commission would receive a petition on votes. He demanded the immediate release of those arrested and called for a comprehensive inquiry into the voting process.
As Rahul Gandhi ji started fighting for democracy and the restoration of the sacrosanct power of every Indian’s vote, the BJP resorted to a dastardly act of detaining him and Priyanka Gandhi ji and other Congress leaders. Jails can’t crush the resolve or silence the voice of Rahul Gandhi ji,” Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said in a post on X.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
