New Delhi [India], August 11 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday lauded INDIA bloc MPs for "standing shoulder to shoulder" and "fighting with full strength" in the movement against "vote theft".
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said the fight is for the protection of democracy.
"Heartfelt thanks to all the fellow MPs of INDIA for standing shoulder to shoulder and fighting with full strength in this movement against vote theft. As I said, this fight is not political--it is for the protection of democracy, the constitution, and the right to vote, and we will achieve this together," Gandhi said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi police detained Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders as they aimed to march to the Election Commission to protest over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "vote chori" (vote theft).
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy condemned the detention of opposition leaders.
"As Rahul Gandhi started fight for democracy & restoration of the sacrosanct power of every Indian's vote ...BJP has restored (sic) to a dastardly act of detaining him and Priyanka Gandhi & other Congress leaders," Reddy said in a post on X.
"Jails can't crush the resolve or silence the voice of Rahul Gandhi," he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and TMC MP Sagarika Ghose were also among those detained by the police.
While being detained, Gandhi told reporters that the truth is in front of the country.
"The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in fr ont of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list."
Gandhi said the INDIA Bloc leaders' march to the Election Commission as a "fight to save the Constitution" and demanded a "pure" voters list.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told ANI, "Dare hue hai. Sarkaar kaayar hai" (They are scared. The Government is a coward).
EC Secretariat wrote to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, granting an appointment for interaction at noon today.
"EC has granted an appointment for an interaction at 12:00 PM today. It is requested that, due to the limitation of space, names of up to 30 persons may kindly be intimated," the letter read.