War over SIR controversy intensifies: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive at Rajghat to meet CEC Gyanesh Kumar

New Delhi: The Opposition's protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls continued for the third consecutive day. On Thursday, several leaders of the INDIA block, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reached Rajghat and registered their objections to the election process. The opposition is demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Rahul Gandhi has been attacking the government and the Election Commission over the Rafale deal. The BJP, on the other hand, refuted the allegations. BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari questioned why the opposition is protesting on the road like this when the matter of SIR is pending in the Supreme Court.

Three days on the road

On October 6, MPs of the INDIA block had tried to march from Parliament House to the Election Commission. The police detained several leaders of the party. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a sit-in near AIR Bhavan after which they were detained by the police.

The protests continued on October 7. After Mallikarjun Kharge's lunch, the opposition MPs moved towards Jantar Mantar but were stopped by the police. Several Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained by the police. Some women MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi, sat on the road and protested.

FIR filed against Rahul, Priyanka

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others for allegedly manhandling police personnel and obstructing them from discharging their duties during the protest. According to the police, three FIRs have been registered in connection with Wednesday's protest.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier said the FIR was like a "medal" for him and also referred to the number of cases registered against him.

Protests from Bihar to Bengaluru

The opposition to SIR is no longer limited to Delhi. In Bihar, leaders of RJD, Congress and Mahagathbandhan started their march from Vidhan Sabha roundabout towards Raj Bhawan, which was stopped from moving ahead in the presence of police.

Protests were also reported from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other groups in Bengaluru. In different parts of the country, the political confrontation over the SIR and the electoral process seems to be increasing.

On the one hand, the opposition is raising questions about the transparency of the electoral process and the SIR, while the BJP and the Election Commission reject these allegations