New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi hosted leaders of the INDIA alliance, opposition Members of Parliament, student organizations, and civil society representatives for a high tea at his Sunheri Bagh residence in New Delhi. The gathering followed a protest march to the Supreme Court and the filing of a formal petition concerning alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Election Commission's special intensive revision.
Opposition parties convened during the meeting to formulate their upcoming strategy regarding the Chief Election Commissioner, demanding the rollback of the revision exercise, the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and a return to ballot papers. Meanwhile, heavy security arrangements and barricades were established across Central Delhi, connecting routes such as Connaught Place, Sunheri Bagh, and Jantar Mantar, where demonstrations took place against the site's denotification.
High drama erupted as Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel detained members of the National Students' Union of India and other student outfits who staged flash protests near Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar without permission. Protesters shouted slogans, waved flags, and attempted sit-ins to demand the reinstatement of Jantar Mantar as a designated demonstration site. Police rounded up demonstrators and moved them into waiting buses to prevent road blockades and restore traffic flow.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi noted that the opposition is confronting distinct legal, political, and psychological battles simultaneously. The alliance scheduled a joint media briefing later in the day to disclose decisions regarding future protest actions and coordinate a unified movement to protect democratic institutions.
Simultaneously, a delegation of women Members of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party visited the official residence of the President of India to submit a formal complaint against a Congress parliamentarian. The complaint followed Jawaharlal Nehru University's decision to dismiss the parliamentarian from a professorship following an internal committee inquiry into sexual harassment allegations. Lawmakers demanded the suspension of the parliamentarian from the legislature, while the parliamentarian denied the allegations and raised procedural questions regarding the inquiry.