Rahul Gandhi leads opposition protest, calls for Election Commissioner to step down

In a protest on Tuesday, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained by Indian police while marching to demand the resignation of the country's election chief. The chief was accused of overseeing a major revision of voter lists, a move that has sparked criticism over potential irregularities and alleged favoritism towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party.

Gandhi, a senior member of the opposition Congress Party, was seen standing on a police barricade and waving the national flag during the demonstration.

Police quickly detained Gandhi and other lawmakers, but released them shortly afterward. The voter list revision has been criticized for its alleged impact on marginalized and minority communities, particularly Muslims. The Election Commission of India has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the revision is necessary to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the electoral rolls.

Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a fellow lawmaker, took up residence inside the public radio's offices adjacent to the election commission. During their time there, Gandhi accused Modi of "hijacking the country through vote theft," a charge that was met with skepticism from police and officials.