• Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders were detained in New Delhi amid a protest against electoral roll revisions in Bihar.
• The revisions require eligible voters to provide proof of citizenship, raising fears of disenfranchisement for minorities.
• The opposition alleges that the changes are part of a strategy to rig elections in favor of the ruling BJP.

Indian Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with several opposition members, was detained by police in New Delhi on Monday while protesting against a controversial revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. This revision requires all potential voters to provide proof of citizenship by July 25, raising concerns over disenfranchisement, especially among minorities, according to Dawn and TRT World.

The protest, which included approximately 300 opposition members, was aimed at the Election Commission of India (ECI) and was sparked by what is known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter rolls. Opponents claim this move effectively diminishes the electoral rights of many voters, particularly in light of upcoming state elections, reports the Press Trust of India (PTI) and Reuters.

The detained leaders, which included Priyanka Gandhi and prominent MPs from various parties such as the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress, attempted to march from the Parliament to the ECI headquarters. They were met with police barricades approximately halfway to their destination, leading to their detention, according to Dawn and TRT World.

Protesters chanted slogans against the ECI and the ruling BJP, claiming that the electoral process is being manipulated to suppress votes. Gandhi emphasized post-detention that “this fight is not political; it is to protect democracy and the right to one person, one vote,” reinforcing the opposition's position, according to Reuters and TRT World.

Critics of the electoral roll revision argue it is an attempt to disenfranchise poorer voters, particularly in Bihar, where historical documentation is often lacking. The ECI, however, defends the necessity of these changes to ensure a more accurate voter roll, addressing longstanding issues of inaccuracies, as noted by Dawn and Reuters.