Indian opposition leader Gandhi, lawmakers detained during protests against poll body

ANKARA

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several other lawmakers were detained on Monday during their protest march towards the Election Commission office in New Delhi.

Led by the Indian National Congress, the opposition lawmakers had sought a meeting with Election Commission officials to discuss issues including a recent electoral revision in the state of Bihar.

Raising slogans against the poll body and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, the opposition lawmakers staged a protest march when they were detained by the Delhi police. They were released later.

"This is how democracy is stolen," said the Congress party on X, reacting to detention of the lawmakers.

Indian opposition parties and other groups are demanding a rollback of special intensive revision exercise held in poll-bound Bihar state, as they say names of large chunks of voters have been dropped. The Election Commission denies the charges.

Opposition leader Gandhi has alleged electoral malpractices in states where opposition parties lost local elections. The Election Commission, however, termed his statements "misleading," asking him to submit evidence.

Talking to reporters on Monday after the protest, Gandhi said: “Now this is not a political fight, it is a fight to save the soul of the country. It is a fight to save the Constitution.”

He added that the youth of the country have "come to know this truth ... Now it is difficult for the Election Commission to hide.”

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, however, rejected the charges. “The Congress party keeps peddling lies about EVMs (electoral voting machines), sometimes raising Maharashtra, at other times, Haryana, weaving a new web of falsehoods each day,” said Dharmendra Pradhan, a government minister.