INDIA Bloc Protest: Allies Question Rahul Gandhi’s Akashvani Bhavan Sit-In

Some INDIA bloc allies have raised objections to the Congress leadership’s handling of Tuesday’s joint Opposition protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying what was planned as a joint protest eventually turned into a “Rahul Gandhi show” after the Gandhi siblings staged an “impromptu” sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan.

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remained at Akashvani Bhavan for hours while several senior Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, were detained and taken to police stations. Some allies also questioned the Congress leaders’ decision to seek a meeting with the Election Commission even as the protest was demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

According to Indian Express, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal told leaders of other INDIA bloc parties that the Congress leadership had “acted in the moment” and expressed regret over the “mistrust” created because the allies were not kept in the loop.

How the Opposition march unfolded

Around 200 Opposition MPs gathered at Parliament’s Makar Dwar before marching towards the Election Commission office. The protestors were demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over issues linked to the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls.

Delhi Police had cordoned off all roads leading to the poll panel’s office. When the march reached Akashvani Bhavan, senior Opposition MPs, including Akhilesh Yadav, were detained, put on buses and taken to police stations.

The Congress has described the Gandhi siblings’ move at Akashvani Bhavan as “impromptu”. According to Indian Express, Rahul Gandhi had planned to enter the Akashvani Bhavan complex and leave through its back gate, which is directly opposite the Election Commission office. However, police locked the back gate, following which Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other Congress leaders, including Venugopal, Pawan Khera and Imran Pratapgarhi, staged a sit-in at the All India Radio headquarters.

The Congress leaders demanded a meeting with the Election Commission during the sit-in. The Gandhi siblings and the Congress leaders with them were detained later in the evening and released subsequently. An FIR has now been filed.

Congress says sit-in was unplanned

Congress leaders said the Akashvani Bhavan sit-in was not part of the original plan and that the Gandhi siblings had pulled off a surprise move.

“The Congress leaders didn’t know about the protest, so the allies also didn’t know,” a Congress leader said.

Congress leaders defended the decision to protest at Akashvani Bhavan, calling it “spontaneous”.

“How could we have predicted this? And the MPs of other parties could have come back, and some of them did. The Congress has ensured all allies feel included,” a Congress leader said.

Venugopal later reached out to other INDIA bloc parties over the episode, saying the Congress leadership had “acted in the moment” and that he regretted the “mistrust” created because the allies had not been kept informed.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will host a lunch for INDIA bloc MPs at Sagar Ratna restaurant in Janpath.

Allies question Congress strategy

Voices from among the INDIA bloc allies felt that what was a joint Opposition protest eventually became a Congress and Rahul Gandhi protest.

“Today’s protest was an INDIA bloc protest. But eventually it became a Congress and Rahul Gandhi protest,” a source in an INDIA bloc party said.

Some senior leaders of the allies also questioned the Congress’s decision to seek a meeting with the Election Commission. A Left MP said the allies would not have agreed to the move if it had been discussed with them beforehand.

“Why would we meet the Election Commission when we are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar? If this had been discussed with the allies, we wouldn’t have agreed,” the Left MP said.

Earlier instance of ally concerns

Indian Express reported how earlier Congress had faced a similar situation during the Monsoon Session of Parliament when allies were not told about Rahul Gandhi’s plan to stage a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, demanding the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over paper leaks.

Congress leaders, including Venugopal, subsequently reached out to the allies. Akhilesh Yadav and Supriya Sule, among others, later joined Rahul Gandhi at the protest.