*New Delhi, August 11, 2025* — Tensions soared in India’s capital today assenior opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra weredetained by Delhi Police during a protest march organized by the INDIAbloc. The demonstration, led by members of the Indian National Congress andallied parties, was aimed at demanding action and accountability from theElection Commission of India over alleged irregularities in the electoralroll revision process in Bihar, known as the Special Intensive Revision(SIR), and broader concerns regarding the integrity of the 2024 generalelections.
The protest march began peacefully but quickly escalated when participantsexceeded the number of people permitted by Delhi Police to join theprocession. As the crowd advanced towards the Election Commissionheadquarters, police barricades were breached. Dramatic scenes unfoldednear Transport Bhavan, where Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav was seenleaping over barricades while Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, along with ShivSena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and TMC leader Sagarika Ghose, were detained andtaken into police custody.
Speaking to the media before being detained, Rahul Gandhi emphasized thatthe march was not just a political protest but a constitutional one. “Thisfight is not political. It is to save the Constitution. The fight is for‘one person, one vote’,” he said, referring to growing concerns aboutdisenfranchisement and alleged manipulation of the voter list.
The detentions come at a time of mounting legal pressure on the Congressleadership. Just last month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) formallyfiled money laundering charges against Rahul Gandhi and his mother,Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in the long-running National Herald case.If convicted, the two face potential prison sentences of up to seven years.Congress leaders have called the charges politically motivated and part ofa broader campaign by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to weakendemocratic opposition ahead of crucial state elections later this year.
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Adding to Rahul Gandhi’s legal troubles, he was granted bail earlier thisweek in a separate defamation case from 2018, filed in Jharkhand overremarks made against BJP leader Amit Shah. Gandhi appeared before theChaibasa court on August 6 and received immediate bail, thus avoidingimprisonment.
Today’s events highlight the growing political polarization in India andraise serious questions about democratic institutions, the independence ofthe judiciary, and the integrity of the electoral process. As oppositionleaders continue to push for reforms and transparency, the politicalatmosphere in the country remains highly charged.