AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Saurabh Bhardwaj detained after scuffle with police in Delhi

Delhi Police on Monday detained senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bhardwaj, following a scuffle between party workers and security personnel near the Janpath Metro station.

Delhi Police on Monday detained senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bhardwaj, following a scuffle between party workers and security personnel near the Janpath Metro station. Security was stepped up across central Delhi, with additional deployment of paramilitary forces and barricading at key intersections to prevent further unrest.

As he was being bundled into a police vehicle, Bhardwaj raised slogans against the Central government, accusing it of misuse of power and high-handedness. Protesters and leaders were seen chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi while objecting to the police action. The leaders also engaged in heated arguments with the police officers on duty, alleging manhandling during the detention drive. Following the scuffle, police personnel began detaining the agitating leaders and whisking them away in police buses.

High drama had unfolded in central Delhi as scores of AAP workers and leaders, marching in protest, were halted by barricades set up by the police. Tensions escalated when party workers attempted to push through the security cordon, leading to jostling and confrontation with the force. Earlier in the day, the INDIA bloc MPs reached the Barakhamba Road intersection as they began a march towards the Supreme Court, where they would petition the court, listing out alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and seeking action against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Led by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, the INDIA bloc constituents included former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). The parties said the MPs would demand the resignation of the CEC and sign the petition at the apex court. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, "The entire country is on the streets today. Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress workers from across the country have gathered here. All of us have just one demand: for the Supreme Court to hear us. What the CEC did is illegal and unconstitutional. He will have to resign from his post. The proof of 'vote chori' produced by us proves that we will have to fight the battle to save democracy in this country. We want to speak peacefully, in a Gandhian manner. But the police are beating up the youth. Leaders are being jailed. This is wrong. I think the Supreme Court must hear us so that the correct measures can be taken. CEC has no right to continue in the position...This Govt is pushing forward Police to protect itself."

Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadoriya said, "The march is being led to the Supreme Court to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner and that action be taken to send him to jail. This struggle and protest will continue until he resigns and is sent to jail." (ANI)