Buses carrying Opposition MPs to Jantar Mantar for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were stopped by security personnel at Ashoka Road on Wednesday.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi proceeded towards the protest venue after the buses carrying the Opposition leaders were halted.
Section 163 in force at Jantar Mantar
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was in force at Jantar Mantar. He said protest marches and demonstrations could not be held at the location without permission.
Sharma said three buses carrying MPs and a large number of their supporters were headed towards Jantar Mantar. He added that the police had been informed about their destination and would request the group to leave the area voluntarily.
The DCP said the presence of MPs would be taken into consideration and that the police would maintain respectful conduct while following the appropriate protocol.
Opposition MPs will hold a sit-in at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Rahul Gandhi demanding his removal from office. The announcement came a day after the INDIA bloc staged an eight-hour dharna seeking a meeting with the election commissioners.
Rahul Gandhi made the announcement after a solidarity lunch hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at Sagar Ratna in Janpath. Soon afterwards, Opposition MPs boarded buses and proceeded towards Jantar Mantar. Some members climbed onto the roofs of the buses while carrying the tricolour, bringing movement in the high-security area to a standstill for the second consecutive day.
Members of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), CPI, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Indian Union Muslim League and several other parties took part in the protest. Samajwadi Party MPs were not present.
Speaking to the media after the lunch, Rahul Gandhi said approximately 300 MPs had sought a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner but were not permitted to stage a protest at the Election Commission premises. He said the Opposition had therefore decided to gather at the designated protest venue at Jantar Mantar to present its concerns.
Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition did not consider Gyanesh Kumar to be the legitimate Election Commissioner of the country. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Gyanesh Kumar had “destroyed the democracy” of the country.
Referring to his earlier remarks, Gandhi said those responsible were “traitors to the country” and warned that the Opposition would take action against them.He also stated that Gyanesh Kumar would have to resign.
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