Rahul Gandhi, others briefly detained in election protest

NEW DELHI: Indian police briefly detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday during a protest march to demand the resignation of the country’s election chief over a large-scale revision of voter lists.

An AFP reporter saw Gandhi, a senior leader of the main opposition Congress Party, standing on a police barricade and waving the national flag.

Officers detained him along with other lawmakers but released them soon after.

The revision of voter lists has drawn criticism over alleged irregularities in the decision-making process, with opposition politicians accusing the election commission of acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Critics also say the drive has disproportionately affected marginalised and minority communities, especially Muslims.

The Election Commission of India has rejected allegations of wrongdoing, saying the revision process is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls.

On Tuesday, opposition members began a march from parliament towards the commission’s headquarters, but were stopped by a heavy police presence.

Gandhi and his lawmaker sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later camped inside the public radio’s offices adjacent to the election commission.

“The country has been hijacked by Narendra Modi through vote theft,” Gandhi told reporters from behind the iron gates of the public radio building.