India Bloc's March to Election Commission: A Protest for Electoral Integrity

On Monday, tensions flared as BJP MP SP Singh Baghel accused the INDIA bloc leaders of appeasing Muslim voters, following a thwarted opposition march to the Election Commission over concerns of 'vote theft' associated with the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Baghel alleged that the protest's intent was to include deceased or non-resident individuals in the voter lists.

Key figures from the Opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other parliamentarians from the INDIA bloc, were detained by Delhi Police during a protest against the Election Commission. The protest, aimed at highlighting alleged voter fraud in the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar, saw prominent MPs like Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut and TMC's Sagarika Ghose among those held.

Rahul Gandhi portrayed the protest as a constitutional battle rather than a political one, emphasizing the need for a 'clean, pure voters list.' Priyanka Gandhi echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the government's actions as cowardly. Amid the turmoil, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav dramatically leaped over police barricades to join the march.

The peaceful protest, grounded in Gandhi's ideals, saw participation from senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. The march, which began from the Parliament's Makar Dwar under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, faced police interruptions before reaching the poll body's headquarters.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan accused Congress of misleading the public, alleging their actions were intended to create chaos. According to him, issues raised about electronic voting machines and past elections are part of an orchestrated strategy to unsettle the democratic process.