Opposition’s ‘Save Democracy’ March Stopped in Delhi: Rahul & Priyanka Gandhi Stage Sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan

New Delhi: High drama unfolded in the national capital on Tuesday as police intercepted a major "Save Democracy" march organized by 19 opposition parties demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

The demonstration, which saw opposition MPs marching from the new Parliament building toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, was halted multiple times by heavy police barricading.

Rahul & Priyanka Detained, Sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan

Police briefly detained Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, placing them inside a police bus. However, the duo managed to step out and entered the Akashvani Bhavan complex, located just 270 meters from the Election Commission office. They subsequently launched a sit-in demonstration inside the premises, insisting on being permitted to complete their march to the Election Commission.

During the standoff, Rahul Gandhi climbed onto a police barricade holding the national tricolor and displayed a placard reading: "Gyanesh, It's Done Bro." The messaging was seen as a direct outreach to India's burgeoning Gen-Z voter base, who comprise over 22% of the country's registered electorate.

This marks the seventh major protest organized across Delhi and Mumbai against the election watchdog within the last five days.

Opposition Leaders Speak Out

Prominent opposition leaders strongly condemned the police crackdown and raised serious concerns over electoral integrity:

• Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President): Calling the demonstration a fight for the rights of youth, women, farmers, and the underprivileged, Kharge accused the ruling government of subverting constitutional processes to retain power. "If assemblies in nine states could be dissolved in the past, an illegitimate status quo here cannot be tolerated either. The public will not stay silent," he remarked.

• Akhilesh Yadav (SP Chief): Questioning the impartiality of the Commission, Yadav said, "If Gyanesh Kumar is truly unbiased, he must listen to our delegation. This is an effort to safeguard democracy, and peaceful demonstrators cannot be treated this way."

5 Key Demands Put Forth by the Opposition

1. Resignation of the CEC: Immediate stepping down of CEC Gyanesh Kumar to facilitate an independent investigation into alleged discrepancies in voter lists.

2. Transparency in Electoral Rolls: Mandatory booth-level public disclosures of all voter additions, deletions, and corrections, along with mandatory prior notice and right to appeal before any name is struck off.

1. Scrutiny of SIR Data: Halting mass disenfranchisement linked to Summary and Special Integrated Revisions (SIR), demanding the restoration of pre-revision voter lists for forthcoming polls.

2. Return to Paper Ballots: Replacing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with paper ballots, alongside streamlined registration for first-time voters.

3. Opposition Solidarity for Electoral Accountability: A unified front across INDIA bloc parties to uphold institutional checks, balances, and public accountability.