New Delhi [India], September 29 : Several members of the Monitoring Committee of Indian Muslims (MCIM), alongside the Samajwadi Party MPs, were detained by Delhi Police during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The protest targeted key governance issues, including accountability from Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and recent controversies surrounding religious structures.
The demonstration drew sharp condemnation of the current political administration from opposition lawmakers attending the site, with Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq asserting a resolute stance.
"We will continue to fight until our last breath, until we get justice," Zia Ur Rehman Barq told reporters.
Echoing similar concerns, SP MP Mohibbullah Naqvi launched a broader critique of national institutions and minority safety, asserting that people with a specific ideology have taken over the country's resources and institutions.
"People with a specific ideology have taken over the country's resources and institutions. They want to run the country according to their own ideology. This is causing unrest in the country. Mosques and gurdwaras are being demolished, churches are being attacked, and inter-community conflicts are being instigated in Manipur. All these things are being done to weaken the country," Mohibbullah Nadvi said.
The protest in Delhi comes amid demonstrations by opposition parties in different parts of the country demanding accountability from the poll panel over the revision exercise.
Earlier today, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary MA Baby was detained during a protest by Left parties against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Delhi on Tuesday.
The protest was part of a wider campaign announced by five Left parties - the CPI(M), Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI(ML) Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc - seeking the removal of the CEC and a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The parties had announced a week-long programme of protests from September 26 to October 2.
The protesters demanded the CEC's removal and an immediate halt to the SIR, alleging that the exercise threatened citizens' voting rights.
The dispute over the SIR has become a point of confrontation between opposition parties and the Election Commission, with critics raising concerns about the revision of electoral rolls and the possibility of eligible voters being excluded. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the exercise is intended to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls and facilitate the participation of eligible voters.
The Left parties have also called for broader coordination among opposition groups and civil society organisations over the issue. CPI(M) leaders have argued that the functioning of the Election Commission and the protection of voting rights require public scrutiny.
On Tuesday, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, reiterated the party’s four “clear” demands amid allegations of electoral malpractices against the Election Commission of India.
The party held its Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi today, where key leaders including Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, among others participated.
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh asserted that in the meeting, the Congress “resolved to resist the RSS-BJP’s capture of the electoral process”.
“Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi has been warning the country about Vote Chori for over a year and a half. The recent revelations have emerged because of his conviction and the sustained efforts of the Congress. Today, there is a nationwide demand to restore the integrity of India’s elections,” he said.
 “We have 4 clear demands: - The immediate resignation of the CEC. - The immediate suspension of the SIR. - The immediate restoration of the 13+ crore names removed from the electoral rolls. - The resignation of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, who have organised Vote Chori,” he said.
“The Congress is not only a party of opposition, but also a party of resistance. We will ensure that this struggle reaches its rightful conclusion,” Jairam Ramesh said.
The CWC said in its resolution that more than 13 crore names were removed from draft voter lists during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across 30 states and Union Territories.
The political row intensified following an investigative report by The Indian Express, which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and procedures linked to the SIR exercise.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that the reported objections represented institutional dissent, maintaining that decisions related to SIR were taken with the unanimous approval of the Commission.