New Delhi, Aug 11 (NationPress) A dramatic political confrontation unfolded in the national capital as leaders of the INDIA Bloc marched from Parliament House to the Election Commission of India (ECI) office, voicing their opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and raising allegations of extensive voter fraud during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra and the Karnataka Assembly polls.

The Opposition characterized the protest as a fundamental constitutional right aimed at protecting democracy, while the ruling BJP criticized the demonstration as “anti-democratic” and “pointless.”

This protest attracted notable figures such as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, RJD leader Akhilesh Yadav, and numerous Congress MPs, all raising alarms over what they termed “vote theft” and the “manipulation of electoral rolls.” However, the BJP dismissed these claims, accusing the INDIA Bloc of generating chaos to obscure its political insignificance.

In response, BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh asserted that the protest undermined democratic principles.

“The behavior of Congress and other Opposition MPs is fundamentally anti-democratic. Important matters can be addressed during Zero Hour and Question Hour in Parliament, but they squandered that opportunity. Under Prime Minister Modi’s guidance, the nation is advancing on all fronts. Instead of engaging constructively in the House, they are orchestrating spectacles on the streets,” Singh remarked.

BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi also dismissed the march.

“This protest is irrelevant. Demonstrations are warranted when demands are ignored, but the Election Commission — a constitutional body — was ready to meet with them and had even scheduled an appointment at 12 P.M. today,” she stated.

Union Minister of State Satish Chandra Dubey further accused the Opposition of stirring controversy.

“From 1990 to 2005, they governed Bihar and transformed it into a 'jungle raj'. Now they believe that creating noise will help them reclaim lost ground. But the public is observant and won’t be misled,” he expressed.

Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane urged the Opposition to concentrate on their parliamentary duties.

“Constant protesting is not governance. Yes, demonstrations are a constitutional right, but Parliament is the venue for raising issues — and they’re failing to do so,” he stated.

The INDIA Bloc, however, remained resolute, accusing the ECI of neglecting its constitutional responsibilities and the BJP of distracting from essential democratic matters.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav highlighted previous electoral irregularities.

“In Uttar Pradesh, during bye-elections for 10 Assembly seats, we observed overt vote theft and booth capturing. The entire operation was orchestrated by the administration, yet the Election Commission did nothing despite having all the evidence,” she asserted.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari underscored the gravity of the situation.

“LoP Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were brought here after being detained. Our struggle will persist until vote theft is eradicated. This is a battle to uphold the integrity of our democracy,” he declared.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor stressed the necessity for transparency from the ECI.

“Rahul Gandhi has posed serious inquiries. We’re not seeking favors, merely answers. The public deserves clarity; there should be no room for uncertainty,” he emphasized.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh elucidated the reasoning behind the protest.

“We were marching peacefully to the ECI to submit a memorandum regarding voter list manipulation. Instead of allowing all MPs to jointly present the document, they abruptly stated that only a delegation could enter. This was never our request. We intended to present it collectively — peacefully — but they closed that option,” he added.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram raised significant concerns regarding voter roll integrity.

“There are 80 voters registered at one address. Some entries have door numbers as ‘0’, and personal details resemble keyboard gibberish. The Leader of the Opposition raised these concerns responsibly, yet the ECI is evading bureaucratic formalities instead of tackling the fundamental issue,” he noted.

Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal stated that even peaceful protests were being obstructed.

“I formally sought permission for a peaceful march to the ECI, demanding the cancellation of the SIR process and an open discussion on voter fraud. But the police didn’t permit us even 30 seconds to proceed. What are they afraid of?” he questioned.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring described the current situation as a betrayal of democratic principles.

“LoP Rahul Gandhi presented facts and evidence revealing the dark truth of vote theft. For 11 years, we remained silent. But now we are speaking with proof. What we’re witnessing is nothing short of democracy being murdered,” he stated.

Earlier, the Delhi Police detained leaders of the INDIA Bloc, including LoP Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Trinamool Congress' Sagarika Ghose and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut among others, who were on their way to the ECI office.

Leaders of the INDIA Bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Priyanka Gandhi, organized a protest march from Parliament to the ECI headquarters, opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections and raising allegations of “vote theft” during last year’s Lok Sabha polls.