Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to lead a march, that includes parties from the opposition bloc, to the Supreme Court on Monday in a bid to protest demanding the halting of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and a resignation of Chief Election Commission Gyanesh Kumar.
The march comes on the heels of a protest-packed weekend in the national capital where members of the Cockroach Janata Party, student organisations and opposition political parties were detained by the Delhi Police over their calls for mobilisation at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
'The more they protect him, the more they are going to face problems'
Rahul Gandhi, briefing the media, said the government was protecting Gyanesh Kumar and warned that moves to protect the CEC would only intensify the confrontation. Gandhi added the opposition bloc would continue its protests and movements unit Kumar stepped down from his role and there was a full revamp of the system in which elections are conducted in India.
Gandhi alleged that Delhi had effectively become a fortress with massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel. He further said the government was using the personnel to stop people from joining the movement and claimed that a huge chunk of the force are sympathetic to the opposition and protestors' demand. He added that the way protests were handled have only made the INDIA bloc and students stornger.
The Member of Parliament said the opposition would be approaching the Supreme Court later in the day and file a petition with the apex body. He further appealed to the masses regaring joining the agitation and described the Constitution as his religion and the voice of the country.
"We will not stop, since truth is with us," Gandhi said. He called on everybody to gather at the Connaught Place-Barakhamba Road junction and march to the Supreme Court.
A protest-packed early October
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha had earlier announced that the INDIA bloc would take to the streets again on October 12, alleging that Delhi Police and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers used violence against students and women during the CJP-led protests in Delhi.
Gandhi called for the "Challo Dilli" protest march which is expected to get underway this afternoon from Connaught Place to the Supreme Court against the functioning of the Election Commission.
The protest is seen to take place despite the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, not giving his consent to a meeting with the opposition MPs on the issue.
Rahul Gandhi was detained multiple times by the Delhi Police last week, after the Indian National Congress leader entered the Akashvani building in a bid to reach the Election Commission of India. He was detained again the following day when he called for a march to Jantar Mantar after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge hosted a lunch for Opposition MPs at Sagar Ratna on Janpath Road.
Security remained tight in Central Delhi on Monday, with barricades seen at multiple locations. Metro stations in Lutyens Delhi remain closed till 4:00 PM. Security personnel have been deployed at Barakhamba Road, near Mandi House. RAF (Rapid Action Force) and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel are also deployed along with Delhi Police personnel.
Also Read: SC bars illegal detention; orders normal Metro, rail, net services
The Supreme Court on Sunday, directed authorities to stop illegaly detaining peaceful protestors and ordered for metro services to be resumed, while ensuring free and uninterrupted movement of people and internet in the national capital. Over 7,000 protestors including senior politicians had been detained by the Delhi Police over the weekend. Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka - the leaders of the CJP- were also detained from inside their Mumbai-Delhi flight on Saturday.
Multiple metro stations were closed on Saturday and Sunday while internet facilities remained unavailable around Jantar Mantar and central Dehi.