In a dramatic turn of events in the national capital on Monday morning, senior leaders from the opposition INDIA bloc, including Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, were detained by the Delhi Police during a protest march against the Election Commission. The leaders accused the poll body of colluding with the ruling BJP and facilitating voter fraud.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, and several other MPs were also detained.
Rahul Gandhi Detained
Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Kharge, Sanjay Raut among those taken into custody by Delhi Police during march to Election Commission office. Rahul Gandhi said, “This fight is not political… it is to save the Constitution”
#WATCH | Delhi: Police detains INDIA bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, among others, who were protesting against the SIR and staged a march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India. pic.twitter.com/9pfRxTNS49
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2025
Gandhi told the reporters, “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.”
As he was being taken away by police personnel, Rahul Gandhi told reporters, “This fight is not political… it is to save the Constitution. The fight is for ‘one person, one vote’.” He added, “The reality is they cannot talk… the truth is in front of the country.”
Police Confirm Detention, Say Protest Was Unauthorized
Joint Commissioner of Police Deepak Purohit confirmed the detentions but refused to provide an exact number, stating, “Detained INDIA bloc leaders have been taken to a nearby police station.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police Devesh Kumar Mahla explained, “The Election Commission said 30 MPs could visit them… but over 200 came marching. We stopped them to prevent any breakdown of law-and-order. They were then detained. Some MPs tried jumping barricades… they were also detained.”
TMC MP Mahua Moitra faints
Visuals from the protest showed large crowds of party workers and leaders clashing with police barricades, holding placards and shouting slogans. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was seen climbing over two police barricades. Adding to the drama, the Trinamool Congress claimed that two of its MPs, including Mahua Moitra, fainted during the protest.
. @AITCofficial MP Smt. Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) fell unconscious during the Opposition protest on SIR. LokSabha LoP Shri @RahulGandhi seen feeding water to Ms. Moitra. pic.twitter.com/aX0JIfIPc9
— Dipankar Kumar Das (@titu_dipankar) August 11, 2025
Amid the chaos of sloganeering, detentions, and a sit-in protest, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra fell unconscious during the ongoing ‘vote chori’ protest by the INDIA bloc MPs against the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi
Govt Responds, Calls Protest a ‘Strategy to Create Anarchy’
The BJP strongly criticised the protest, calling it an orchestrated attempt to disrupt public order.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “The country can see who is working against the Constitution… Rahul Gandhi.”
He added, “The voter revision (in Bihar) is not happening for the first time… Congress lies about EVMs (electronic voting machines), raises Maharashtra elections… It is their well-thought-out strategy to create anarchy.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also condemned the opposition’s actions, asserting that the government would not tolerate attacks on the Election Commission.
Opposition Alleges Voter List Manipulation
The protest comes amid serious allegations by the opposition regarding the manipulation of voter lists. Rahul Gandhi has previously accused the Election Commission of enabling “large-scale electoral fraud” in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and other states.
#WATCH | Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “Dare hue hai. Sarkaar kaayar hai.”
Delhi Police detained INDIA bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, among others, who were protesting against the SIR and staged a march… https://t.co/GPvb7VcoH4 pic.twitter.com/nnA2tpXC8T
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2025
Calling these irregularities a “crime against the Constitution of India,” Gandhi claimed that suspicious voter list revisions, data opacity, and turnout spikes are part of a broader strategy of “vote chori.”
Rahul Demands Transparency
Rahul Gandhi has urged the EC to release a searchable draft of the voter list, claiming that irregular additions and deletions have skewed the electoral roll. Last week, he used PowerPoint presentations to showcase discrepancies and press his demand for transparency.
The issue has reached the Supreme Court, where the opposition has challenged the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Bihar voter list. Petitioners argue that the EC’s move is illegal and could disenfranchise traditional opposition vote banks.
The court allowed the revision to continue but directed the EC to ensure genuine voters are not excluded, and that the 65 lakh dropped names are given adequate time to appeal.
Akhilesh Yadav Jumps Barricades
Tensions escalated during the protest as Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav accused authorities of “using the police to stop us” and was seen dramatically leaping over a police barricade.
#WATCH | Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav jumps over a police barricade as Delhi Police stops INDIA bloc leaders marching from the Parliament to the Election Commission of India to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound… pic.twitter.com/X8YV4mQ28P
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2025
Several MPs from various opposition parties followed his lead, climbing over the barricades while shouting slogans against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, as security personnel struggled to control the situation.
Election Commission and BJP Demand Proof
The Election Commission hit back, stating that all procedures followed were legal and transparent. It demanded that Rahul Gandhi submit his claims in a signed affidavit.
Referring to a 2018 petition filed by Kamal Nath, the EC stated, “The Congress had tried to mislead the Supreme Court.”
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya challenged Gandhi to present specific names of ineligible voters, saying, “If Rahul Gandhi values his credibility, he must, under a declaration or oath, submit the names of the ineligible electors he claims are on the voter list… Failure to do so will make it clear he has no real case and was merely engaging in political theatre.”
Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Slam Govt Over Crackdown
Speaking to reporters before being detained, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “Dare hue hai. Sarkaar kaayar hai,” accusing the government of being afraid of public dissent.
VIDEO | Detained Opposition MPs including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were seen sloganeering inside bus. They were stopped at Transport Bhavan during their march to the ECI office.#Opposition #ElectionCommissionOfIndia pic.twitter.com/JSrvExEgr2
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 11, 2025