Guwahati: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc MPs were detained by Delhi Police on Wednesday evening while heading to Jantar Mantar for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanding his removal.

The MPs were stopped by police on their way to the designated protest site, prompting them to stage a sit-in on the road. Police later removed the protesters and detained them.

A commotion broke out between the MPs and police personnel as the protesters attempted to proceed towards Jantar Mantar. The MPs alleged that they were beaten and manhandled by police while being stopped from reaching the protest site.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra laid down on the road in protest alongside other INDIA bloc MPs after police blocked their movement. Women police personnel later removed her from the site and took her away in a bus along with other protesters.

“This is how they treat Members of Parliament who are asking simply to meet the Election Commissioner. This is how they treat us. They are beating MPs. The policemen have scratched me all over. They have thrown us to the ground. Now, we are not going to move from here. Let them crawl their forces back. I will not move from here,” Priyanka told reporters.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who was among the INDIA bloc MPs on the bus to Jantar Mantar questioned the police action and the decision to prevent the MPs from reaching Jantar Mantar.

“You can see the brute force with which Delhi Police is handling peaceful protesters. Gyanesh Kumar has to resign. What is our fault? Why are the workers, the public being brutally manhandled and lathi-charged by the Delhi Police? Why are MPs being blocked from reaching Jantar Mantar? What is going on here?” Moitra told reporters.

Rahul Gandhi was seen attempting to clear the route to Jantar Mantar after buses carrying opposition MPs were stopped by security personnel on Ashoka Road. He was later forcibly removed from the protest site and taken into a bus by Delhi Police.

Priyanka, who was travelling in the bus with Rahul and other INDIA bloc MPs, questioned the police action after getting off the vehicle.

The detention came a day after Rahul Gandhi led an over eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan following an opposition march over alleged “vote chori”. Nearly 250 protesters were detained during Tuesday’s demonstration.